


Words to Live By

by idgiebee



Series: Words to Live By [1]
Category: The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst, Archery, F/F, First Dates, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Origin Story, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:22:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25009144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idgiebee/pseuds/idgiebee
Summary: "Minute by minute, day by day, ride or die."A take on Magna and Yumiko's first few years together pre-apocalypse, navigating their relationship as client and lawyer to contemplating something more.  They establish their motto, Magna gets her prison tattoo and eventually prepares to spend her prison furlough with Yumiko, and Yumiko's idea of a first date begins on the archery field and ends with dinner.  Eventually, they find themselves at the beginning of a new world.
Relationships: Magna/Yumiko (Walking Dead)
Series: Words to Live By [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1810690
Comments: 8
Kudos: 31





	1. Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magna has been sentenced to prison for murder. Young, bitter, and increasingly indifferent, she stumbles into an opportunity to stay hopeful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Details of the conviction are based on a quick search of Virginia laws (comic book Magna states that she's from Richmond, VA) and Yumiko's role was inspired by the pro bono work I came across while reading Just Mercy. Honoring the TWD timeline, the year here is 2007 (so three years prior to the Wildfire virus outbreak and thirteen years prior to where the show is now, as stated by Magna in 10 x 4), making Magna 19 and Yumiko 24.

At only 19 years old, Magna had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder in the first degree. By now, only six months had passed and she was just barely adjusting as well as one could. She struggled to adapt to the strict routine, especially with the thought that freedom might come sooner than expected if all went right with her lawyer. Some of the other women attempted to make small talk with her when she first arrived, notably the older women who had been there a while. She thought perhaps they pitied her for being so young and wanted to take her under their wing. Magna was polite enough, but largely dismissive. It soon became obvious that she wasn’t particularly interested in socializing.

Aside from minor chitchat, the occasional tense interactions, and her growing affinity for treading harmless quips with the largely bad-natured and egoistic guards, she didn’t engage much with anyone outside of her bunkmate, Ida. The woman was so readily chatty that she could sustain conversations with just herself, but Magna hadn’t minded too much. Stimuli was few and far between and she sometimes found Ida’s heavy southern accent soothing in its songlike way. She made an early habit of holding on to these small pleasures, desperately trying to distract herself from the hate she felt for this environment, her situation, and the more time passed, herself.

She lay in bed staring at the underside of the top bunk, trying to recall every detail about her case. At some point today, she would be reviewing any new developments with her lawyer, a cold man whom she only ever addressed with his last name, Richards. Often withdrawn and cold, he had been appointed by her father, if only because he abhorred what having a daughter in prison did for his own self image. She often felt overwhelmed during these meetings. There was so much to understand, and she never felt like her father’s lawyer was truly invested in making her case. She was confident this was nothing more than a business transaction to the both of them. Perhaps too, she thought, they felt she was a lost cause. Perhaps they knew the truth.

A jury had failed to convict the man who had sexually assaulted her little cousin, giving her plenty of motive to have committed the murder. Motive was the absurdly sole determinant used to implicate her guilt, but it was enough to categorize her crime as having been premeditated, earning her the minimum of twenty years. Though her defense had initially committed to proving her innocence, her ever-growing weary lawyer began to consider that the best course of action would be to pursue downgrading the sentence to the second degree. 

Although this could shorten the sentence to a minimum of five years, it would also mean pleading guilty. It would mean admitting that everyone’s suspicions, most especially her father’s, were right all along, and that she’d lose the last bit of faith he’d ever show her. The personal reckoning--being the only person who knew without a doubt that she actually did it--was destroying her; she wasn’t sure how she could live if that truth was permanently confirmed to the world.

Further, even if they somehow managed to get her out of there, she didn’t know where she’d go. She’d feel obligated to go to her father, but couldn’t stand the thought of being indebted to a man who couldn’t accept her for her failures, and especially not for her sexuality. It would be going back to a muted life of never feeling like she was enough.

Her mother passed away when she was young, so she spent a lot of time with her aunt Frankie growing up. Soon enough, her cousin would be brought into the world and become the closest thing to a little sister Magna would have. This small family was the only thing that mattered to her. She loved her cousin so deeply, swearing to her aunt that she would always look out for her. With the constant thought that she had failed to do even that, she wasn’t sure she would be able to face her aunt.

She sighed deeply, mulling over other potential runaway destinations and coming up unsatisfied. Suddenly, her focus was broken when Ida entered their room in a hurried manner, wincing quietly to herself and rubbing her shoulder as she looked around. Her hair was fussed, her prison garb in slight disarray. She hadn’t noticed Magna laying there and stopped abruptly when she finally saw her. Magna propped herself up on her elbows, more curious than concerned.

“The hell happened to you?” she asked plainly.

“Ain’t nothin’ to worry ‘bout.” she chuckled nervously. “Jus’... y’know, makin’ friendly talk across the way”.

She waved nervously to a small group of women across from their room. Most of them stared back with a hard look, deliberately nullifying any sort of lightness. One of the women smirked back and nodded her head in acknowledgement. Magna didn’t want to look over at them, knowing eye contact would be enough to get her involved. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and leaned her elbows on her knees, suddenly more concerned than before. She let out a deep, dry sigh.

“Let’s go, inmate,” interrupted a firm, male voice. A familiar, uniformed figure stopped just outside their door frame and fixed eyes on Magna. “You got legal company”.

Magna stood up to follow him out. She nudged her bunkmate’s arm and pointed a finger to her face.

“This better not be a drug thing.” she warned.

“It ain’t drugs!” she shot back defensively. “It’s--”

“Ah ah ah, “ Magna snapped back disapprovingly. She put up both hands and looked away. “I don’t wanna be involved any more than I already am”.

She continued into the hallway before Ida could respond, barely catching a glimpse of the group across from them before she walked on behind the guard. Though she still made a concerted effort to avoid eye contact, she could feel their steely glare on her back as she walked away.

“Pretty frequent visits with the suits,” said the officer. “Someone must really want you back on the outside.”

After a couple turns, Magna stopped at the door to the briefing room and put her hands on the wall in preparation for the mandatory frisk. She and the other women had a heavy distaste for most of the guards after witnessing--or otherwise experiencing--their disgusting and abusive conduct. CO Porter was the only one Magna found to be decent enough. He was an often deadpan and disengaged individual and she was determined to get him to break character whenever she could.

“You don’t think I actually did it,” she teased. “Murder? Me?”

“I think that you better play nice with these people so you can get out of my hair.” He patted her shoulder to signal she was fine to enter the room.

“Yes sir, Officer Porker, sir.” she snorted out with mock compliance. She walked in ahead of him, sneering.

“It’s Porter.” he corrected, unamused.

“Uh huh,” she teased again, then suddenly stopped in her tracks to turn and ask, “Wait, did you say ‘people’?”

He nearly ran into her at this abrupt stop and shot her a look of mild annoyance. Before he could respond, someone else in the room loudly and impatiently cleared their throat.

Magna and the CO turned their heads at the sound to see two lawyers present at the briefing table. Magna was used to seeing the same stuffy and disgruntled suit there to lecture her, who was already peeking up at her disapprovingly behind his glasses. Richards was nothing if not true to form. This second presence was completely new to her: a dark-haired woman dressed in a sharp suit, sitting patiently with a disciplined smile on her face. Confused, Magna looked to Porter for an answer, but he merely shrugged and left the room, taking his post just behind the protected glass windows where he kept watch of the meetings.

She turned to approach the discussion table, taking her time and narrowing her eyes in intrigue. Both lawyers were sitting next to each other with one empty seat across from them. Her regular lawyer had already begun shuffling through papers, but the young woman next to him stood up as Magna reached the table. She maintained a confident and eager smile that, quite frankly, put Magna off. The now cautious young convict paused to stand just behind the chair, pleasantly bemused by this new development.

“Richards.”

“Sit down, Magna.” he said without looking up at her.

She idly tapped her fingers on the back of the chair and looked from him to this new person. To Magna, she was comically opposite her regular lawyer: young, beautiful, dignified, a quiet positivity radiating from her. Part of her was intrigued solely on the basis that a stranger was making an effort to actually see her.

“I get two of you now?” Magna asked playfully, eyebrows raised. Richards looked up at her now as if bothered, then to his colleague beside him.

“Ah, this is Yumiko,” he announced dully. “She’ll be joining the case.”

“Currently still in my studies,” the woman finally chimed in, offering her hand to shake. “I’m sort of... learning and helping to work your case at the same time. It’s pretty typical field work experience.”

Magna immediately noted her English accent and grew even more puzzled. She shook her hand skeptically, letting out a single, “...Huh.”

This new lawyer seemed eager to present herself as the ideal professional. Her simple, business heels put her above Magna in height and she stood with an elegant confidence, tailored in a navy blue suit and clean white blouse. Her dark hair was pulled away into a low, neat bun that allowed her powerful facial features to stand out. Though Magna knew it was ignorant to think so, the English accent only seemed to add to her air of sophistication. They couldn’t have been too far apart in age, though Magna was certain they wouldn’t be bonding over their clearly different upbringings anytime soon. In the short time it took for the two of them to shake hands and sit down, Magna had already grown annoyed at the thought of another fancy prick coming in to sell her hopeless chances at freedom. She started to lose interest.

“Father of the year is getting that impatient?” she asked with indifference, knowing that there must be some sort of catch. She propped her foot against one of the table legs and rocked her chair back slightly. “He must be paying a lot for this.”

“Actually,” her original lawyer cleared his throat. “Your father will be stepping down.”

“What?” she let out numbly. She dropped the chair legs down, genuinely surprised. “What the hell does that mean?”

He pursed his lips at her predictable hostility and spoke matter-of-factly.

“It means he’ll no longer be supporting the necessary fees for you to obtain legal help.”

The three of them quickly fell to silence as the words sunk in. Magna hardened her gaze on Richards, the heat rising to her chest. He seemed hardly able to contain his satisfaction at the notion of permanently leaving her case closed. She nodded and let out a wry chuckle.

“I’m on my own,” she stated, lamentably familiar with the concept. “Is that why you’re here then? Just to tell me you’re leaving?”

She was leaning in now, hands spread on the table as if ready to physically challenge the nonsense she was hearing. Though this was to be expected, she couldn’t help but feel incredulous at the neverending spite from her father.

“Not at all,” Yumiko came in quickly, hoping to diffuse the younger woman’s visibly augmenting distress. Magna looked over impatiently as the woman opposite her maintained her upbeat tone. “Again, I’m hopping in because we’re still invested. We’ll just be working pro bono.”

“For as long as that’s sustainable.” Richards cut in. Magna looked back to him, almost seething.

“Is that a warning?” She was really getting uncomfortable now, her anger shifting into panic. If sustainability was the demand, there was no way she could meet it. She didn’t have anyone else on the outside who would be willing to help. Her nervous contemplations from earlier became suddenly more real, followed by the creeping feeling of abandonment.

Yumiko, still keeping stride with Magna’s developing mood and willingly overstepping the enmity of her colleague, offered words that she hoped would establish balance.

“Magna, I want to assure you that there’s nothing to worry about,” she urged. “People donate to pro bono causes all the time, especially for wrongful convictions.”

Magna paused at her words, letting this new development form an image in her mind and unwittingly giving in to the small comfort it offered. Hearing Yumiko speak in such a straightforward manner about her innocence was like hearing it for a fact.

“People want to see justice carried out,” Yumiko continued. “It gives them hope. It’s why I’m here.”

Her tone was softer now and she again smiled patiently at Magna. The distressed young woman drew back slowly and stared back at her, not sure how much she could trust this proposition. She knew, however, that she was in no position to question the efficacy of work she had no experience in. She looked down at the table for a second in consideration and then back up to Yumiko.

“What makes you so invested in my case?” she asked, trying hard not to let her residual anger make her sound more hostile than she meant. “We’ve never met before.”

“I read through the files and was immediately taken by the persistent lack of evidence. Nothing definitively proves your guilt.” she replied simply.

Magna could detect her excitement and waited for more explanation, desperately wanting to be convinced. Yumiko met her silence with a modest shrug and continued: “It felt like a cinch when I read it. I just knew I had to jump on and see this through.”

Magna looked over to Richards, who had now completely withdrawn his participation to read over some pages. She crossed her arms and bit back the urge to say something to provoke him back into the conversation. She wasn’t interested in his perspective anyway. Deciding to ignore him, she turned back to Yumiko with renewed intrigue, blatantly looking her up and down.

“Trying to start your career with a clean win?” she said, passing playful judgment at the young lawyer’s hunger.

“I suppose,” Yumiko admitted unashamedly. “Though you won’t be holding that one over me once you’re walking free.”

Magna was surprised by how much she was enjoying Yumiko’s self-satisfaction. They had managed to side-step the dreaded niceties and play directly into a short, but pleasant back and forth. Still, as she was never one to allow too much faith in anyone, she attempted to slow the growing optimism.

“I can’t promise you’ll find what you’re looking for.” she offered, allowing herself to sound more vulnerable about her chances at freedom than she usually preferred to admit.

“Well, then we’ll dissect it down to its core,” Yumiko immediately countered. “Minute by minute, day by day--”

“And you’re committed to that?” she laughed, astounded by her persistence. Yumiko gave a deep nod of approval as she too laughed at her own eager attitude.

“It’s ride or die for me, Magna.” she stated with finality, her steady gaze intimidating and inviting all at once.

Magna smiled involuntarily at this, feeling strangely moved. Never had she encountered someone so bold and aggressive in their stance who she didn’t also instinctively want to fight against. For the first time since the whole dreadful matter began, she was looking forward to seeing how things developed. She comfortably buckled, unaware that she had not been able to take her eyes off of Yumiko as she spoke.

“Okay,” she decided. “Ride or die it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was waiting to post this until all of the chapters were finished, but I'm awfully slow at writing. The next two will hopefully be quicker?? I just want to get these out there.
> 
> So many people have already written their take on their background (apologies if I have inadvertently repeated some ideas), and I think this means..... AMC, give us their background story.
> 
> Hope everyone had a happy Pride. <3


	2. Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years later, Yumiko shows up for another regular meeting with Magna and reflects on how she’s starting to feel about her. Under unexpected circumstances, she learns about her prison tattoo and must find a way to console her.

Yumiko entered the briefing room and set down her things, comfortably absorbed by her thoughts and ready to conduct business. She idly scanned the room and took her seat, straightening her blazer and smoothing her hair. She looked over to the empty seat next to her. Magna’s original lawyer, Richards, had dropped out of the case almost immediately as soon as she signed on two years ago. By now, she had obtained her law degree and continued to work for the same pro bono organization, intent on providing help to those who needed it most but who lacked the access to quality legal help; people like Magna. The past couple years had been a hard commitment, often with sparse reward. Still, Yumiko was determined to find any evidence that could piece together a more solid alibi for her client. More and more, she felt like they were getting close to creating the perfect case for a retrial.

She remembered the first day she came in without Richards. Magna had been so blunt in her relief to see him gone that Yumiko couldn’t help but laugh, inadvertently admitting that she was happy not to have to work with him anymore. Magna seemed to detect how nervous she was to be on her own for the first time, making an effort -- and likely feeling more comfortable -- to be so much more open and inquisitive and encouraging that day. Soon after, Yumiko would be able to tell her that she had finally earned her law degree, excited to let her be the first to know before realizing she ought to tell her family first.

She laid out the contents of her briefcase in neat piles to be gone over sequentially: files to review, new information, potential strategies, and a list of other miscellaneous check-ins. She always made time for this last part, knowing the casual chit chat helped keep Magna grounded. It could be a movie she saw, anything new happening out in the city, the happenings inside of the prison. These small conversations helped them get to know each other better and, more importantly, helped Magna retain her sense of humanity.

They had previously been reporting to Magna a couple times a month, but now the pair met on a weekly basis. Yumiko often thought back to that surprising day when Magna made this request. She had been so honest about needing company and finding new direction with each meeting, and Yumiko felt like this was Magna’s way of telling her she needed her. She recalled reaching out a hand to her arm then, and how it had nearly startled Magna into withdrawing. Though she was more careful about it now, she found herself having to regularly fight off these warm gestures as her affection for the younger woman grew.

The weekly meetings only exacerbated these instincts, always leaving behind a sense of disappointment for not having acted on them once their time was up. By the time their sessions were over and Magna left the room, it was as if the young lawyer could feel gravity’s sudden return, only then realizing that she had felt a pleasant weightlessness the entire time. She wondered if Magna got the same feeling out of these meetings, hoping it could offer her some respite inside these oppressive walls.

Though there were still many walls she felt they needed to break down, she enjoyed the slow process of getting to know more about her client. She never shied away from the considerable amount of emotional investment demanded of her job: it helped drive her passion, the same passion she saw and admired in Magna. Despite strange circumstances, her growing and willing investment soon made Magna her deepest personal friend. Whatever she felt, Yumiko found it hard not to feel alongside her.

It was always hard to divide work and life with such inevitable, emotional demands, and even harder when it came to Magna. It seemed the young woman bled into every aspect of her now, and Yumiko found herself feeling oddly charmed by the idea. The truth was, she didn’t just accept the invitation to meet weekly. She had nearly hoped for it, perhaps hinted at the possibility just so Magna would ask. She fondly remembered that feeling of elation when she finally made the request and how she struggled to tame her enthusiasm.

She soon found herself thinking about Magna constantly. She thought about their meetings long after they concluded, revisiting words she said, the very image of her coming to mind when she got home in the evenings and before she finally drifted off to sleep. She would bring her into conversations whenever she could, first with colleagues, then with miscellaneous people in her life who had nothing to do with the young convict. Of course, she was professional enough not to disclose anything too personal, but she did so more arguably in consideration of Magna’s feelings. Remarkably, even in her absence where she’d never be the wiser, all she could think about was how Magna would feel.

Certainly, the most charming part was that it was hidden in the ordinary. She couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, but she found herself increasingly drawn to the most minor details of Magna’s character. In times of loneliness, sitting by herself in her apartment after a long day, she might laugh at something on TV and immediately think of how Magna would react, hearing her laugh right along with her. She became so enamored by her smallest movements: a quirk in her eyebrow or at her lips, that soft chuckle to herself that revealed how shy she could be, the way she would rub at her hands or tug at her flesh when deep in thought, the intensity in her eyes. She was taken by just how special these ordinary things could feel, desperately wanting to give Magna the freedom to move through life, to be this extraordinary way, outside of the prison, outside of the constraints.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she realized Magna still hadn’t arrived. She glanced at her watch, then to the clock on the wall, knowing instinctively that she had gotten the time right. Magna’s purposeful and defiant habit of being late had disappeared along with Richards, so this was rather unexpected.

“Excuse me,” Yumiko called out, politely waving down the guard just as he returned to his post. She recognized him as Porter, the usual guard on shift during their meetings. “I’ve been waiting on my client for a while now. Do you know where she is?”

“Sorry for the wait,” he said, looking uncharacteristically perplexed. “She’s being checked out of medical.”

“What?” Yumiko caught her breath, suddenly feeling deafened by the words. “What is she doing there?”

He opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by the sound of the door clicking open. They both turned to see Magna walk in quietly, looking both agitated and morose. She pushed past Porter without acknowledging him and continued promptly toward the table, her body language notably closed off. As Yumiko took her in full view, she was incredulous to the sight before her, bringing her hands to her mouth as she gasped.

Magna’s deep, golden-brown waves were more untamed than usual, but still unable to obscure the bruises and scrapes on one side of her face. A split at the end of her brow was freshly held together by a butterfly bandage, another split at her lip slightly red and swollen. More bruises and other abrasions covered her arms, but it was easy to imagine the damage continued to other places. As the younger woman sat down in a huff, Yumiko resisted the instinct to cup a hand to her face, whose expression was undoubtedly in pain. The normally composed and level-headed of the two was now struggling to quell the sudden panic she was feeling.

“What the hell happened?” she let out involuntarily, still trying to come to grips with Magna’s appearance.

“Nothing.” Magna replied indifferently. She sat slumped back in her chair, still not having looked up.

“You can’t honestly expect me to believe that.” Yumiko said, annoyed at her avoidance.

“Nothing that’ll tarnish your ‘clean-slate-lawyer’ bullshit, so relax.” Magna shot back, looking at her now with indignation. She glared for a moment before looking away again.

Yumiko blinked back in astonishment at her unbridled hostility.

“I’m sorry?” she asked, stunned.

“I’m fine, in case you were also wondering about that.” Magna fired off again, emphasizing her annoyance with Yumiko’s reaction. Her hands had come up to grip the table now as she returned with another scowl.

Yumiko stopped at this, realizing her negligence. She immediately felt ashamed for her inability to push past her own shock and verbalize her concern for Magna in this poor state. She stuttered as she tried to apologize, but stopped again when she caught sight of Magna’s left hand. There were traces of blood that had been hastily wiped away, barely concealing a peculiar scarring that hadn’t been there before. She focused there for just a moment before looking back up, puzzled.

Magna noticed the sudden and pinpointed attention to her hand and began to pull it in toward her body. She looked off to the side, as if guilty, almost ashamed. Following her movements, Yumiko bravely reached out, deliberately defying her client’s withdrawal. She stopped short of grabbing onto her, instead gently brushing her fingertips to the back of her hand, silently asking permission. She kept her eyes on the younger woman’s face, searching for response.

To her surprise, Magna didn’t pull back. She continued to tread softly, trying to stay in tune to Magna’s sensitive state. She went further and took her hand now, pulling it gently towards her and leaning in to get a closer look. Feeling Magna start to tense, she stroked her thumb across the back of her hand as gentle assurance before taking it to inspection.

Her brow furrowed as she tried to make out the markings. It looked to have been quick and painful, though arguably less painful than whatever caused the other scrapes and deep bruises that continued up her arms. In the corner between her forefinger and thumb was a simple pattern of five dots, four of them surrounding one in the middle like the five count side of a die: a tattoo.

“Four walls, one prisoner,” Magna explained, her distant look searing into the surface of the table.

Yumiko felt a deep worry now as she began to understand that her client must have been involved in a losing fight, the punishment for which was a permanent display of power. This only brought up more questions: What was the motive? Was it the guards or the other inmates? What was being done about this? Her mind was swarming, increasingly furious at the situation.

“Like I said,” Magna continued, interrupting Yumiko’s thoughts and pulling her hand away. “It’s not gonna affect my ‘good behavior’ card, but go ahead and lecture me for it. That’s what you need, right?”

“Oh, Magna…,” she responded sadly, heartbroken. “I know it’s hard to talk about, but I need to know what happened. Anything that will help your case--”

“There you go!” she burst out, looking at her with frustration. “Help my case? This is more about helping you do your job.”

The weight of her words and the quick return to indignation left Yumiko stunned. She had seen Magna angry so many times before, but had never felt personally attacked. She was startled by this accusation, but began to realize the sad truth of how she was making Magna feel. She was lost for anything to say now, worried that she didn’t have the right words, or if the right words even existed.

“You wanna know what happened?” Magna challenged. “Those shitheads across the hall came after my bunkmate again.”

Though she was making a valiant effort to seem angry with her lawyer’s insensitive response, Yumiko detected a desperation in her voice that told her she was more troubled by the situation itself. She began to understand that this wasn’t just a fight; it was an assault. From the look of Magna’s injuries, she had been severely outnumbered. She knew that her pride made it hard for her to admit that she felt cornered, even helpless. Yumiko stared back at her sympathetically. 

“I got caught in the crossfire-- That’s it,” Magna concluded, wavering in her sharp tone. She watched as Yumiko silently processed this information, but growing impatient, she emphasized, “I didn’t start shit.”

“You helped her.” Yumiko established, trying to show Magna that she understood her motive.

“Is that my fault?” she laughed out defensively. “They were in my room. I just wanted them out...”

Yumiko realized that her words must have sounded accusatory to Magna in her distressed state. Emotion was creeping into Magna’s voice as she trailed off, revealing more struggle than she dared to put into words. She continued, the hurt intensifying.

“They held me down,” she recounted sadly. “Said I needed a reminder that I was still just like them… No matter how many fancy legal visits I get.”

Yumiko breathed in slowly as the picture came clearer to her, her mouth twisting to the side in pity and her chest aching at the thought of the fiery spirit before her being bullied to the ground. She knew Magna would always try to do the right thing, but that she was tired of ending up hurt. She didn’t want Magna losing hope, but she constantly felt like the system was working against her.

“There must be something more we can do,” Yumiko offered, trying not to sound as afraid as she was. “I want you to be safe.”

Magna shook her head, knowing Yumiko would want her to report the women who did it.

“Snitching isn’t safe,” she reminded her. “Sometimes there’s nothing you can do.”

“We’ll do what we’ve always done,” Yumiko replied, unsatisfied. She tried to stay encouraging. “Come on, minute by minute, day by--”

“But you’re not the one who has to live every minute and every day!” Magna erupted again, emotions returning. She aggressively pointed a finger to herself for emphasis. “That’s me.”

She kept her eyes on Yumiko and shook her head in disbelief, desperate to get her to pause her incessant need for an immediate solution. Yumiko could feel her withdrawing, the sudden rift between them widening uncontrollably. She could only let Magna continue.

“That phrase motivates you to keep working, but you’re not actually living this.” She gestured outward to their surroundings in reference to the prison. Finally, she looked her in the eyes and choked out, “There is no ‘we’ when I’m in here.”

Magna’s sustained hostility and visible hurt only brought the young lawyer immediate guilt. After years of working together, it was clear that Yumiko’s ambitious nature had managed to suffocate her client. Magna stared sadly down at the table now, as if she knew her words had been harsh, but necessary.

Yumiko could feel the walls coming up again, walls that had been so carefully taken down. Her client was silent now, but Yumiko could see the flush in her face that said her mind was still on fire. She searched for Magna’s eyes, but found no give. She chose her next words carefully, hoping with secret desperation to reach some part of her.

“That’s really how you feel then?” she asked sadly, looking down at the table now too.

“Who cares how I feel?” Magna shot back immediately, still coming down from her emotions.

“I care,” Yumiko emphasized, her voice nearly breaking. She looked back up and paused for a moment to collect herself. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you believe that all I care about is doing my job, but I do care that you’re okay. Okay?”

“I screwed up,” Magna said, dodging Yumiko’s apology. Her voice was still shaking as she continued under her breath. “I’ve been here two years already. So no, it’s not okay...”

“Self-defense is not screwing up,” Yumiko countered, still trying to stay encouraging. “A man is dead and they’d rather put a pin in it, but… but I just haven’t found a way to make them listen to the right story yet-- the true story.”

She could see Magna growing weary, but she was determined to get her to hear her words.

“If anyone has screwed up, it’s me,” she said with finality. “I can take that responsibility.”

“Fine, sure. Sounds better to me,” Magna said dismissively. She slowly slumped back into her chair and drew her arms in to hold herself, wincing as she passed over her bruises.

Still hoping to make an impact, Yumiko reiterated carefully, “And I… I take complete responsibility for making you feel like all I care about is some clean record. I’m sorry-- Truly. I get impatient when there’s a problem that needs fixing and--”

“No problems here,” Magna sniffed in, even more visibly done with the conversation than before.

Yumiko sighed softly, defeated.

“Right,” she affirmed with despondency. It was clear that Magna wouldn’t be hearing an apology today. Still afraid she was losing her completely, Yumiko felt the need to show Magna she cared about her somehow, that she didn’t want to leave her on this note.

“Business and inmate drama aside then… Can we check in?” she asked hopefully, attempting to relieve the tension by deviating into their more casual chit chat. Her tone was softer now, trying to ease Magna into the conversation.

“Same shit as always,” Magna shrugged, gladly moving on. She ran a tired hand through thick curls and cast her eyes downward. “I swear I’ve read every book in this place.”

“Maybe they’ll let me bring you a new one.” Yumiko offered with a small smile.

Magna was unmoved, idly playing with her fingers. Yumiko was certain she was still mulling over their exchange from earlier, so she tried again to keep their conversation light.

“Last time you said Frankie would be visiting,” she remembered. “How did that go?”

Magna paused her fidgeting at the question. Her face took on a more serious expression now, her brow furrowing. The sudden shift gave Yumiko a creeping sense of dread, certain that the answer wasn’t pleasant. She braced herself, observing as Magna took a deep breath and drew in her bottom lip, looking off to the side as she blinked back tears. She swallowed thickly before speaking.

“She never showed up.”

The still tension from before quickly returned as the words seemed to hang in the air, begging for a response. Yumiko was caught in disbelief, suddenly feeling hopeless and pitying the woman in front of her. It seemed nothing could go Magna’s way today. Before she could think of anything to say, she watched as Magna’s face contorted briefly, ready to burst into tears. Not a moment later, her body lurched forward in her seat and she began to sob. She brought a hand to her mouth in a vain attempt to silence her whimpering, gasping with every inhale and shuddering with every exhale, the weight in her chest crashing into an unbridled chaos to the floor.

Yumiko could feel her heart wrench as Magna broke down in front of her. She was desperate to take away her pain, but felt truly useless now. She knew that no shred of new evidence, no quirky story, no apology could alleviate the physical pain, the abandonment, nor the isolation that she was going through.

She was frantically searching her brain for answers, but instinctively she knew what she had to do. She looked past Magna over to Porter, who was standing sideways at his post on the far side of the room, arms crossed. He could still see them in his peripherals through the window that separated them, but had taken to surveying the hallway during their meetings to offer a bit of privacy. Yumiko took in a deep breath before leaning over to one side, hoping to catch his attention.

He turned as soon as he perceived her movement, as if he had been anticipating her signal. Once they made eye contact, Yumiko looked back over to Magna who was still curled into herself, crying softly. She looked to Porter again, pleading silently. He held her gaze firmly for a moment, looked over to Magna, then back to her. She was still staring back at him, waiting. He drew in a patient breath and nonchalantly turned away from them.

With his back to them now, Yumiko locked eyes on Magna. She was holding her head in her hands, trying to find a normal breath. Yumiko stood up and slowly picked up the chair she was sitting in, hoping not to startle her. Eyes still trained on the young woman, she walked the chair over to Magna’s right side, setting it down gently and taking her seat.

Absorbed in her melancholy, Magna made no attempt to acknowledge what her lawyer was doing, though she could hear it all. Yumiko reached a hand to her back to get her attention, but kept a slight distance, careful not to smother her.

At her touch, Magna slowly looked up from her hands, first processing the nearness of their bodies. As her eyes climbed further up, she was met with Yumiko’s calm and earnest expression. She immediately tried to turn further to glance back at Porter, slightly panicked by the thought of being seen doing something wrong. Yumiko moved to stay in her view, shaking her head and smiling softly.

“It’s okay,” she affirmed.

Magna held her gaze, still uncertain. She knew a simple handshake could make the guards nervous. Sensing her hesitation, Yumiko rubbed a small circle across her back and nodded gently, turning in towards her and opening her arms in invitation. Magna briefly looked her up and down, from the sureness in her eyes to the delicate reach of her arms. She began to lean in reluctantly at first, but found herself unable to look away from the warm sincerity in Yumiko’s smile.

The patient lawyer maintained her steady confidence, knowing this small but daring act would be the most she could hope to offer. Deep down, it was still so hard to see her like this, especially this close. She saw the pain building in Magna’s eyes and felt her heart give once more, unable to stop the tears from forming in her eyes as well. Then, as if set off by this subtle display of emotion, Magna let out a sob, folding her arms into herself and moving forward into Yumiko’s embrace. Pained and weary shoulders collapsed gently into her sweeping arms as Magna finally let go. Though only mere seconds had passed, Yumiko felt time slow down around them. She gathered her close and felt a sudden wholeness wash over her, as if an invisible barrier had been raised to preserve them in this moment, shielding them from the harsh reality of today.

Magna stayed coiled into herself, her lean frame fitting perfectly into Yumiko’s own. She continued crying as Yumiko began a gentle rocking motion, resting her cheek on a bed of soft curls. Eventually, Magna shifted her body to wrap her arms around Yumiko’s waist and bury her face into her shoulder. Yumiko smiled warmly as Magna clung to her, deeply moved that she would seek further shelter in their embrace. It occurred to her now how precious Magna had become to her, how she would do everything she could to empower this woman who had been unjustly thrown into a powerless position.

Still pulled in close, she gently took Magna’s left hand from her waist, studying the tattoo again. They stared at it for a moment in silence, its somber story in direct contrast to the warm feeling of holding each other's hand. She hoped now that she could help Magna understand that she thought so much more of her. 

“This isn’t who you are, you know,” Yumiko let out quietly. She moved her thumb across the pattern and began softly stroking the back of Magna’s hand again.

Magna shifted unsurely and grunted out, “I think it’s pretty straightforward.”

Yumiko chuckled at her characteristically sardonic response. She gave her hand a squeeze before letting go, moving to trace her fingers across the intricate details of her other tattoos.

“These tell a truer story, I think.” She traveled up her arm slowly, taking them in. They were so familiar to her, yet they still felt so new. She had admired them so many times before, but never had the opportunity to fully examine their beauty.

“The armor?” Magna asked doubtfully, turning her arm to follow Yumiko’s gentle motion. “They’re just another wall.”

Yumiko lifted up her head and stopped her movements, a bit taken aback by the suggestion. She looked down at Magna resting comfortably against her, unfazed by the sudden reaction. Yumiko knew that she could be so self-deprecating at times and wished that she could see otherwise.

“I don’t think so,” she said, pouting slightly. She laid her head back down and continued her caress, moving smoothly up and down her arm. “They’re armor necessary for a messed up world.”

She reflected on everything that had bubbled over today: how nothing seemed to work out for Magna, how unfair it was that she was in here, how she longed to bring her justice, and how she had failed to show her how important she was to her personally. Her movements took on a gentle rhythm as she lost herself in thought, mesmerized by the flowing ink patterns and the soft warmth at her fingertips.

“They’re… intricate and beautiful, reflective of their wearer,” she mused, words spilling out unfiltered. Part of her hoped Magna would notice her heart beating faster, amplifying the bold strength of her confession. Even if she didn’t fully understand it herself, she was dying to tell Magna how she felt about her, to show her that she understood her.

“This newest scar is just one small part,” she concluded, passing over the five dots one more time. She held her hand again, really wanting Magna to hear her next words.

“You’re a good person-- too good for this messed up life. That’s how I see you. I want you to remember that.” 

Magna had been holding back emotion, lulled by the gentle reverberation in Yumiko’s chest as she spoke with such deep kindness. The tears had managed to find their way back upon hearing this last part, and she nodded gently against Yumiko’s shoulder, feeling undeserving of her words. Still the only one who knew the truth about the murder, her guilt threatened to deafen Yumiko’s perception of her. She wanted so badly to believe her, to affirm her vision. Even if it were only in this moment, she could allow herself to feel seen in the eyes of someone from whom she desperately wanted acceptance.

She gently pulled her hand away from Yumiko’s hold to wipe at her eyes before moving to wrap her arms around her waist again, as if by pressing into her, she could shield herself from the truth. Yumiko smiled and took her in her arms again, content with this gentle response. They nestled in, humbled by the feeling of eternity coursing through their embrace.

After a while, Yumiko became conscious of their problem with the other inmates again, knowing they eventually had to address Magna’s situation.

“I could stop visiting so frequently if it makes you feel safer,” she suggested reluctantly.

Magna nodded an immediate and emphatic no, feeling alarm in her chest at the very suggestion. Yumiko smiled knowingly, adjusting to lay her chin gently on top of Magna’s wild locks and feeling relieved.

“Okay,” she sighed contentedly. She closed her eyes, grateful that Magna seemed to find the same solace in their visits as she did. They settled into another comfortable silence, still holding each other tight.

“They were transferred this morning.” Magna suddenly announced.

“Really?” Yumiko blinked her eyes open and looked at the young woman in her arms.

“Mm,” Magna confirmed, indifferent. “Got in their last hurrah, I guess. Or just dumb luck.”

Yumiko pondered this coincidence, pushing one of Magna’s locks away from her face to get a better look at her. Outside of the briefing room, Porter finally turned to look in through the window. The two women had their backs to him now, still caught in their embrace, laughing at something inaudible to him. He smiled briefly to himself before assuming his regular diligence and knocking on the window.

“Time’s up,” Magna remarked, pulling back slightly. “We should get going.”

“Right,” Yumiko agreed, wiping at her eyes a final time. She immediately felt the emptiness where Magna used to be as the younger woman pulled away completely.

“Um… thanks, for that,” Magna let out awkwardly as she stood up. “Sorry we didn’t get any work done.” 

Yumiko nodded quickly, understanding that Magna was generally uncomfortable displaying intimacy, much less talking about it. She smiled at her contentedly, feeling that on the contrary they had ultimately accomplished a lot.

“Like you said, sometimes there’s nothing you can do,” she shrugged. Still not wanting to miss an opportunity to tease her today, she added playfully, “Except maybe hug it out.”

Magna looked down at the floor, chuckling softly, and Yumiko felt the empty space between them again just in seeing this ordinary but telling gesture. She couldn’t help but smile at her bashful mannerisms, longing all over again to pull her in. Her heart swelled as Magna looked back up to her, noticeably trying to hold back a grin before she reluctantly turned to walk away. She looked happy.

“You should call Frankie,” Yumiko said suddenly, turning in her seat. Truthfully, though she did believe this was an important reminder, she could feel herself looking for a reason to get Magna to turn around. As their eyes met again, she went on, feeling emboldened.

“And you know... you can always use that call to call me.”

Magna looked down at the table for a moment and pointed unsurely at the documents still spread in front of Yumiko.

“For this, you mean?” she asked, genuinely curious. Yumiko smiled affectionately at her slight misunderstanding.

“For anything,” she clarified. “I just like hearing from you.”

Magna stilled, a slow smile spreading across her face and a spark dancing in her eyes. In all the time they’d known each other, Yumiko never stopped being so bold. They held each other’s gaze for a little longer, basking in the moment. Finally, knowing there was nothing more to be said, Magna nodded and turned toward the exit of the briefing room, a new energy in her step as she walked away.

Grinning blissfully now, Yumiko took a deep breath, realizing that she had felt so nervous just then but didn’t understand why, crediting it to the high emotions of the day. She shuffled her papers together, thinking about how proud she was with how far they’d come as a team. Two years later and major walls were still coming down, not just within Magna, but within herself too. She wasn’t quite sure what was happening now; all she knew was that she felt free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since it was introduced, I’ve had a hard time imagining that Magna willingly got the prison tattoo, so it made for a good opportunity to highlight how she always seems to fight with the right intentions but resort to generally wrongful means that end up hurting her: seek justice, but turn to murder and go to prison; recognize the need for a backup plan (cue Nadia Hilker’s delivery of “What do I always say about having options?”), but get caught with a knife or stealing supplies and have a whole community distrust you.   
> In my sweet-summer-child ignorance, I didn’t know how commonplace the five dot pattern was as a prison tattoo (thx Google xoxo). I realized very late that Michonne likely recognized this from her experience as a lawyer, so I like the idea of Yumiko learning of its significance for the same reason. I also like playing into what we’ve seen of Yumiko as a problem-solver to a fault, and that with Magna, she’d have to learn that not everything can be fixed the way she thinks it can.  
> Lastly, Porter is a Yumagna stan. Good looking out, buddy.
> 
> Lastly lastly, if you haven’t already made Gordi (whose song “Heaven I Know” was featured in the intro for 10 x 4) your official theme music for this ship, then I highly recommend it for maximum feels. She’s all I listen to while writing these and I recently read that much of her latest album, “Our Two Skins”, was written while coming to terms with her sexuality and beginning a same-sex relationship. Grand coincidence. <3


	3. Shift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magna is allowed a week-long prison furlough but only has Yumiko to call.

Magna stood in the narrow hallway of the security room, waiting diligently albeit anxiously for her next directions. She tugged at her old shirt, a faux leather jacket creased from having sat untouched and folded in on itself, grey jeans thinning at the knees, fitting looser than she remembered, a pair of worn but sturdy, black lace-up boots. She squirmed at the false familiarity each garment offered her, anticipating a moment when she would feel back in her own skin. Still, it was not nearly as uncomfortable as being checked for suspicious contraband in every imaginable orifice.

She watched the guard sitting nearby, shuffling through some papers, a large, raised desk between them acting as a natural partition. This same guard had administered what was hopefully Magna’s only invasive security check of the day before giving her the set of clothes she had come in with three years ago. The guard was not particularly amused at Magna’s lewd flirting during the ordeal, a defensive reaction to having to submit to being physically violated. What the hell would she be smuggling out, anyway? After three years, she could never grow accustomed to the invasiveness of it all, and she pouted thinking about how she never really liked being touched.

Though this was not entirely true. A year ago, she had willingly fallen into Yumiko’s arms during a rough patch, a breaking point in her prison time that she had mostly gotten over since then. Her anxious shifting turned into a daydreaming as she pleasantly recalled the wholesome feeling of that moment. Though nothing similar ever occurred thereafter, she was fully aware of how it changed her perspective of the ambitious young lawyer. There was a pleasant tension with their every interaction now, and Magna found herself always wishing that it could go on, that they could push further and cross that boundary again. When their short time together was over, she felt a desperation in recalling every pleasant detail, afraid of forgetting, wishing she could live it again. She shook her head and took a deep breath in an attempt to suppress the feeling of her heart racing.

Not even a week after that moment between them, just before the next time they would be meeting again, Magna knew without a single doubt what she had long suspected: that she had developed feelings for her lawyer. At first, she thought she ought to dismiss it, that it would only complicate their lawyer-client relationship. Then, as the other inmates began to taunt her about it, she would brazenly admit that she thought Yumiko was “hot, but that’s all”. She came to the point of calling it a crush, but could feel it growing undeniably deeper with every meeting. She now consciously defied the responsible thing to do and put aside her feelings, deciding that if a distant crush on her lawyer was the best she was going to get out of the rest of this life, she could consider herself lucky.

Pausing for a moment in her nervous squirming, she stared down the short hallway and fixated on the door at the end, feeling as though she could see right through it. Just outside, Yumiko would be waiting for her. She shifted awkwardly again, her stomach becoming light as she anticipated what Yumiko would say when she saw her in these clothes again. Right away, she would notice the change in her demeanor, how out of water she felt. She tried to convince herself to be cool.

She thought that maybe Yumiko looked at her differently too since then: deeper, more fondly, even lovingly. Feeling childish in her hopes, she wondered if Yumiko felt the same way about her, but perpetually denied this, thinking that anything she perceived as flirting or a mutual attraction must exist solely in her head. Her present environment made her thoughts run rampant, and she more often than not convinced herself that she simply had nothing else to fixate on. Still, through all the work they had done together so far, hope was the most powerful thing Yumiko gave to her.

Magna had been allowed a week-long furlough for bereavement. Her aunt Frankie had been sick for a while, but Magna had to guess that the years of highly stressful events contributed to a depression that only exacerbated her condition. Her daughter sexualy assaulted, the perpetrator allowed to walk free, her niece convicted of his murder and sent to prison, retrials for false imprisonment tried in vain. After fighting for so long, she had simply given up. Magna could hardly blame her. Fortunately, thanks to Yumiko’s insistence and third-party mediation, the two were able to have a mostly functional relationship in the short time she had left.

Knowing it was coming and being locked away in prison made the situation easier to cope with if only because it had physically removed her from facing the reality of a loved one slowly passing away. It had been so easy to push away, but now that she would be leaving these confines, she would have no choice but to look. With no other family on the outside who accepted her, she felt truly alone now. She wondered if this made her cling to Yumiko harder, grateful for her presence.

Magna’s heart jumped suddenly as she saw the door handle move. CO Porter poked his head through the open door and waved her over in his characteristically stern manner. She swallowed, trying to contain her excitement. This would be the first time in three years that she got to be outside of the prison that wasn’t for a court date. She only wished it was under better circumstances. She tried to focus on the thought of having Yumiko by her side.

Trying to keep her pace even, she walked down the hallway, coming through the door shifty eyed as usual. She never quite trusted any circumstances, but felt especially now that this was too good to be true. Her tension left her as soon as she saw Yumiko, replaced by a sweeping but pleasant nervousness. She stopped for a moment as their eyes met immediately, suddenly unsure of how to act. In her truly unfiltered fashion, Yumiko made it known that she was eager to see her, immediately bursting into a large smile and walking over to her.

“Hey!” she quietly exclaimed, not hesitating to wrap Magna in a big hug.

Magna faltered, chuckling awkwardly in response. She was still conditioned to close herself off from intimacy, only exacerbated by having had that need stripped away as a prisoner. She returned the hug reluctantly -- short, but electrifying -- disappointed that her reaction could not have communicated how happy she felt to see her, to be met with this unanticipated brush of affection.

As they pulled away, she took her in view, trying not to seem so obviously intrigued by her appearance. She normally arrived in some type of formal business attire, but she was dressed casually for this, nothing lawyerly about her. Simple but sleek black trainers, soles clean white, dark jeans, a loose-fitting tee tucked in at the front. Her ink-blank hair cascaded over one shoulder, revealing a brilliantly embroidered floral pattern on the back of a rose-gold bomber jacket, a bold piece so typical of her.

As the leftover butterflies of anticipation began to fade, Magna felt a different tension mounting. Something about seeing Yumiko dressed this way made everything seem much more real, reminding her that she had lost touch with the reality outside these walls. She would soon be walking outside, attending the funeral of one of the last people she cared about on this earth, in the company of the woman for whom she had unwillingly developed feelings. Realizing she was much more accustomed to her life in prison than she thought, she became suddenly aware of her own clothes again.

“Alright,” Porter announced. Magna shook herself out of her thoughts. “One week and we expect you two back before noon on return day.”

“That’s the plan!” Yumiko smiled, simple business as usual. She looked to Magna, whose sheepish nod in response only drew more contrast between them in this moment. Porter looked up from putting the final notes and signatures on some paperwork to look over to Magna now too.

“Time off with the lawyer hardly seems like time off,” he observed. Magna watched him, expressionless but steeling herself for the taunting. “You know, I think you two see each other more often than most here see their own families.”

She tried not to have a reaction, but knew this second of hesitation was enough to implicate her. She narrowed her eyes at him, impatient with the time he was taking. Yumiko stood patiently nearby, looking back and forth between the two, amused. His lips were curved into a smug smile, clearly enjoying this torment.

“You must really be trying to clean up your act, huh?” he asked, feigning innocence.

She blinked at the cheap retraction from his accusatory teasing and clenched her jaw, annoyed. “Yeah… I’m uh… Getting set on a new path.” She briefly half-smiled, trying to seem as unbothered as possible. She looked down and tugged at the edge of her sleeve before looking back up to Yumiko, searching for an anchor in this awkward moment. 

“No time to waste!” Yumiko finally interjected, reaching out for the paperwork. “Thanks for the help,” she let out coolly.

He laughed, handing her the documents. As she turned and began to walk away, Magna hesitated for a moment, still having difficulty processing that she could simply leave with her. Yumiko immediately turned to look back at her and Magna felt slightly embarrassed that she hadn’t followed right away. Yumiko reached a hand out towards her and gestured toward the exit with a nod, connecting with an assured smile.

Magna instinctively lifted her hand at seeing the movement, but hesitated again, this time skeptical at the thought of leaving hand-in-hand. She hated how unsure she seemed right now. Yumiko kept her knowing smile and stretched her reach a little farther to place a hand on her arm instead. “Come on!” she whispered.

Magna followed now, taking a few long steps to come shoulder to shoulder, the smile on Yumiko’s face as her guide. Silly crush aside, she truly didn’t know what she would do if Yumiko hadn’t offered to host her time away. She couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed about spending her furlough with her lawyer. The reputation for having frequent visits only made it more obvious that she didn’t have anyone else outside. Curiously, she kind of liked the mysterious and scandalous rumors of romantic involvement spreading about them, even though she knew they weren’t true.

However it seemed, she tried not to pay it any mind. She wanted to feel free, truly, for this moment-- to grieve for the last person on this earth who she cared for, to move freely in the open air, to pretend she was still a part of the world outside. Yumiko pushed open the door to let her through and Magna finally smiled fully, not looking back.

Outside, she was surprised at how strangely unaffected she felt when she took in the surroundings. Everything looked disappointingly the same as when she first entered and, in fact, it was. The few times she had been trafficked on a bus to somewhere else still had the weight of being a prisoner, so she thought this might be different. It seemed her first feeling of unbounded freedom would come in the form of having no idea where she was going.

“What in the world was that?” Yumiko laughed out suddenly. She turned her head to look at her, still keeping their pace.

“What?” Magna half let out. She looked back at her, still coming out of her malplaced nostalgia.

“Back there, all awkward,” Yumiko reminded her as they reached the car, her tone pitying her playfully. “That was hardly the most stressful situation I’ve ever seen you in. It’s cute.”

Magna could feel the warmth of embarrassment rush to her cheeks as she opened up the passenger’s side door. “Whatever, I just don’t like small talk,” she dismissed. She turned her gaze immediately out the window as she buckled herself in, knowing Yumiko would be searching for the flush in her face. “They probably think it’s pathetic that I didn’t have anyone else to call.” she admitted.

“Oh come on,” Yumiko kindly dismissed. “They’re just… in awe of what’s obviously a super hot date.”

Magna rolled her eyes at the joke, but knew she was blushing harder at the suggestion. The romantic tension, though playful, was already mounting, and she could feel herself searching for more truth behind the sarcasm. She had a feeling that they would be teetering on this the entire time.

“They’re probably thinking, ‘Oh wow good for her! How lucky!’ ” Yumiko bantered on.

Magna shook her head, trying to hold back a smile. “Drive me back already,” she joked, cocking her head to turn and finally look at her. “You’re so lame.” She was fully aware that this insult had come out sounding affectionate, but she couldn’t help it. There was something about the way Yumiko could be so put together that Magna found her silly behavior even sexier. 

“You love it.” Yumiko answered with a wink before slipping on her sunglasses. Magna watched her for another moment before turning to look out the window again. She cherished the way they would kid around with each other after such tense or difficult moments, big and small. It was the closest she had to the feeling of coming home, ready to reflect on a long day, a sound voice there to help sort out the world. With this warm thought in mind, she watched the trees go by as seemingly endless miles of road disappeared beneath them, in love with the changing fall air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A persistent albeit nearly disappearing theme that I've always appreciated in TWD is the idea of false familiarity, that there are these elements of life from before that ought to be comforting but instead become reminders of loss, unpleasant changes, or displacement.  
> Though I think all of the characters have to make peace with this eventually and learn how to move on, I imagined that the first instance of that feeling for Magna happened pre-apocalypse when she went to prison but also had Yumiko come into her life. Where many characters still seem to hesitate in their decisions, Magna is stubbornly and rather quickly committed to whatever seems like the next best move, a sort of surviving-the-apocalypse mentality that could have developed earlier for her (though it's not always actually the best move, oof). Because she's also very prideful, I think a younger version of her would have these awkward tendencies while she's still figuring this all out, pretending to be more comfortable than she is.  
> I think something that bonds these two and makes them great leaders is that they both have their own versions of that no-nonsense motivation to get business done. I imagine Yumiko was like this much sooner, so she displays a lot more assuredness here. And of course, can't forget the instances of light teasing that indicate an affection for one another. (The pillow-stealing/snoring bit was one of the sweetest moments in the series for me, ahhh)
> 
> Anyway, this started as one chapter and then became four, oops. Working from home has been absolute sabotage on my day to day life, but my goal is to post the last three before the end of this month and before the finale. Fingers crossed.


	4. In Sight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beginning her furlough, Magna continues to wrestle with her false sense of freedom and the dynamic between her and Yumiko while on a first date of sorts.

Magna sat at a small bistro table, arms folded, idly digging the heel of her boot in the soft dirt below her. She was still trying to process how normal everything seemed, disappointed and still not understanding why she couldn’t bring herself to appreciate being outside of the prison. She was trying to shake the feeling of not belonging, afraid that everyone who passed by could tell she wasn’t supposed to be there, that she was still a prisoner, that she had taken a life.

Years later, she was still having the same conversation in her head, convinced that she had carried out justice. Moreover, she was fervent in her belief that she need not convince anyone else, even if their disbelief meant she would spend decades behind bars. Perhaps that’s why she had lost steam in fighting for her false innocence in recent months; she was growing to accept the fact that she did deserve to be there. The worst part of it all was that the more she let go, the harder someone else would be fighting for her.

She had spent the past few years allowing Yumiko to believe that she was innocent, fearing there would never be an organic moment to tell her the truth. For Magna, their bond had grown immeasurable. Though she generally harbored few fears in life, the thought of Yumiko leaving -- walking away from her with the knowledge that she had long been betrayed -- broke her to an incorrigible state. She felt for her everything that she had ever known to be good, knew most especially how fragile this feeling was for being so tragically unrequited: Yumiko was first and foremost her defense lawyer. With nothing to defend, there would be no reason for her to stay.

She pushed back the mass of wild curls on her head and sighed, frustrated that this one conversation with herself was her most familiar company. She tried to focus on the feeling of fresh air in her lungs and warm sun on her skin, happy at least that she was about to enjoy coffee that didn’t taste like it was filtered through used socks. Her time in prison had taught her to stubbornly search for these small pleasures when nothing else seemed particularly special.

“Okay, so I’m not going to tell you exactly what’s on the schedule, but I just know you’re gonna love it,” Yumiko immediately began as she returned to the table. The air seemed to clear suddenly, the brightness in her tone a welcome respite. She set down two coffees and sat hurriedly across from her, visibly excited. “Not to give away any spoilers, but I will say--”

“Wait, hold on,” Magna laughed. How Yumiko’s ever eager attitude so easily turned her mood. Against the backdrop of her self criticism, here was someone who considered her interests as if they were her own, whose thoughtful intentions she had never known. It was so different, the idea that someone else would plan a day for her. “Look, you could have dance lessons planned today and I’d be grateful,” she joked. “Thanks.”

Yumiko smiled at Magna’s appreciation, taking the cue to draw back on her enthusiasm. She stared down at the coffee in her hands before looking back up to her. “Do you want to take dance lessons?” she asked mischievously.

The smile faded from Magna’s face as she shot her a warning look, unamused by the suggestion. Yumiko gave a short laugh at her reaction, satisfied with her ability to get under Magna’s skin. She looked back down to the cup in her hands, gripping the warm ceramic and biting down on her bottom lip in thought, suppressing a smile. Magna observed her curiously; Yumiko had always been so effortlessly eloquent, but here she seemed unsure of her next words. In the next moment, her contemplative gaze shot up to meet Magna’s, eyes narrowing as she formed a conclusive thought. She brought a hand to her chin and leaned forward, the resolute smile on her face intensifying the wait.

“You deserve this,” she said finally.

There was that motivational lawyer speaking again. Though Magna knew Yumiko wanted to be genuine, she couldn’t help but feel sometimes that these words were the beginnings to stock phrases that she used with every client. Yumiko must have sensed that her morale was low and found it necessary to start their time together with a pep talk, always with the goal in mind. Magna settled in patiently, bracing herself for the guilt she’d feel when the kindness of the words to come would fail to affect her.

“And you should know…,” Yumiko continued. She trailed off and looked yet again to the coffee in her hands, now a mental anchor. Magna detected this as an uncharacteristically nervous pause as she searched for her next words. The more Yumiko looked away from her, the more intently she studied this unfamiliar expression, eager for her next words. Just when she felt like she couldn’t wait any longer, Yumiko looked back up to her with a big smile.

“I’ve really wanted this for so long, to be out like this with you,” she chuckled, confessing. “You just can’t imagine how happy I am. Being part of your story… it’s really given me a different purpose.”

Magna blinked at her, struck by this unexpected revelation. “Er, different?” she stammered out.

“Yeah! I guess I signed on with a path in mind, but now it feels so personal, more fulfilling. I just want to be here for you.” Magna could feel her chest tighten as Yumiko continued her casual rambling, becoming more animated in her movements. “Sometimes I forget that I’m supposed to be your lawyer,” she laughed. “Is that strange?”

Yumiko had an agonizingly sweet way of delivering such deeply affectionate words without warning. Something about her initial hesitation, the unfiltered pace of her words, and the warm way she was looking at her now affirmed that this was no stock phrase at all. Magna couldn’t think of how to respond, leaving a silent beat.

“Maybe I’m just worse at my job than I thought,” Yumiko offered. She scrunched up her face before taking a sip of her coffee, passively acknowledging how they still hadn’t managed to set Magna free. Appalled that Yumiko could ever think that way, Magna rolled her eyes and snorted in denial, hoping to emphasize the ridiculousness of the thought.

“Come on,” she began. “You know that’s not it.”

They sat for a moment in silence, both knowing this conversation would not have its satisfying end today.

“Ride or die, right?” Magna suggested simply. She raised her cup in cheers, knowing this attempt at offering words of comfort fell painfully short to Yumiko’s sincere declarations from earlier. Yumiko chuckled again.

“Ride or die,” she affirmed.

Even as Yumiko’s mug clinked against her own, Magna detected a slight disappointment in her response, a patience that was nonetheless wanting. She hated that she couldn’t match her sentiments, that she could still feel so closed off and hesitant even in these moments when it seemed Yumiko was so willing to be vulnerable. She took a deep drink of the hot liquid as if to feel the sensation of her self-loathing, but was surprised by the pleasantly strong flavor. Her face scrunched up as she drew back, blinking her eyes open to see Yumiko, neither of them ever far off from sharing in another laugh.

***

After an almost half-hour drive, they pulled into a large, outdoors area unlike Magna had ever seen before. As they got out of the car, she looked around the wide-open space of green and yellowing fields. There were bales of hay covered with tattered paper bullseyes standing in a crude line, a collection of sturdier, dense, foam targets sitting farther off in the distance. Nearer to them, people were planted at various distances from the targets, armed with bows of all styles. She watched curiously as they released arrow after arrow, some hitting their target, some flying just past, others driving into the ground to leave the field scattered with stray attempts.

“Is this day about me or you?” Magna called out loud, fixated on the line of archers in front of her. Yumiko had briefly cited archery as her preferred hobby before, a charming quirk that Magna truthfully had never been able to picture.

“Oh, stop!” Yumiko called back from behind a raised trunk door. “Can’t you let me impress you? I just want to impress you,” she griped playfully. Tinged with excitement, she emerged with a sleek black compound bow and a set of arrows. Magna approached her, smiling skeptically but feeling largely amused. 

“Trust me,” Yumiko said, handing her the arrows. “It feels good to shoot arrows into shit.”

They settled at a more isolated spot away from the other archers, offering them a bit of privacy. “Let’s start at 10 meters?” Yumiko suggested as she set down her things. By her playful tone, Magna could tell this must be a laughably beginner’s distance for her. Before she could respond, Yumiko had already begun to walk away to check out the target, visibly excited.

Magna watched her for a moment, slowly twirling an arrow between her fingers. Seeing her in this environment and in this mood was intriguing to her, like she was seeing a vaguely familiar side of her step more fully into the light. Feeling out of place herself, she knelt down to lay on the grass, hoping the long-awaited feel of earth outside the prison compound could offer her some comfort. She looked around the archery field, trying to imagine Yumiko coming here. She had only ever made small mention of the hobby, and so Magna never imagined to get this glimpse into her life. In fact, this would be the first piece of her life outside the lawyerly duties that she’d get to see in person instead of hearing about in a story. Stretching herself long and feeling her body sink into the grass, she folded her hands behind her head and looked up to the sky.

Suddenly, a creeping sense of dread set in as she contemplated this thought more fully. She was starting to realize how afraid she was to find out more about Yumiko’s life, a life that she could swear she knew everything about just in the few years of conversations they’d shared. She wondered now if during this week together, she’d come to see someone else entirely. She might find out that she didn’t like her as much as she thought, or perhaps, and more frighteningly so, that she loved her more than she would ever have the opportunity or ability to express.

She knew these opposing possibilities were a distraction to her biggest insecurity about their relationship. Truthfully, her real fear was in confirming what she had always suspected: that Yumiko had so much else in her life that was bigger than the triflings of a young delinquent. As close as they had become, as much kindness and appreciation as Yumiko showed her, there was a chance that her golden-hearted nature was simply and beautifully how she always was.

She thought back to that moment at the café, wondering what else she could have said, what else she might have missed in their conversation that could help deny this rising fear. She should have been braver, more confident, more bold and open, more honest. She felt a bitter weight in her stomach at this last thought, knowing honesty would involve so much more than confessing her feelings.

She perched herself up on her elbows as she heard Yumiko return, glad for the interruption. As she came up, she caught sight of some people nearby throwing knives and axes. They grunted as the powerful weapons flew from their hands, knives sticking cleanly, axes wedging into wood with a sturdy grace. It was a sight she had never seen before, dangerous weapons becoming so artfully refined.

“I want to try that,” she said earnestly. Yumiko looked down at her before following her gaze to the throwers.

“I don’t even think I’m allowed to take you to an archery range,” she laughed as she threw her hair up in a bun. “Much less put knives in your hands.”

“Who’s gonna know?” Magna chuckled back defiantly. Her restless fears began to subside, indulging in the clear sight of Yumiko’s face.

Yumiko rolled her eyes at this characteristic indifference and kicked at her playfully. Magna turned away, snickering as she took a fistful of dry grass. She threw it at Yumiko in retaliation, only to end up with grass all over her torso. As the two of them giggled at this comical display, Magna rolled over to lay on her belly and press herself down into the ground, enjoying the feeling of having the freedom to goof off. Yumiko, on the other hand, quickly cleared her throat and brushed her stray hairs into place before picking up her bow.

“Right! Solid grip, closed hand; don’t want to shoot your own finger,” Yumiko advised. She held the bow in her hand, demonstrating briefly. Magna lifted her head to look at her, a bit startled by the immediacy with which she began. She pushed herself up to sitting, amazed at how Yumiko seemed to carry the bow as an extension of herself.

“Stand straight up, take an open stance,” Yumiko demonstrated, stepping into position. “Nock your arrow first, odd fletch up, then draw it back.”

The language flowed naturally from her as she readied her shot. Sitting at attention now, Magna did her best to keep mental notes of her jargon, a dynamic reminiscent of their trial briefings and discussions of the past few years. Yumiko’s instruction, direct and powerful, was so easily recognizable even in this unfamiliar territory.

“Target in sight...” She lowered her tone as her voice dropped, intensifying her focus with silence. Magna noticed the steadiness in her stance, her breath, her gaze; everything locked into place. She felt a strange urge to assume this still silence alongside her, as if she had just entered the space of a predator ready to strike. She looked to the target, then back to Yumiko, drawn by the command in her stance and this brief moment of intense concentration.

Then, with a clean snap, Yumiko released the arrow, a quick whipping in the air and sharp thunk in the distance as the arrow secured itself in the dense foam of the target. Magna looked to see the arrow wedged firmly in the bright, yellow center before quickly turning back to Yumiko. Her arms were still raised in position, maintaining her powerful stance.

“Ha!” she laughed out. She looked to Magna with a smile, sticking her tongue out between her teeth and shaking her shoulders in a dance, boasting of her work. Magna raised her eyebrows at this sudden shift in demeanor and nodded back, impressed. Before she could say anything, Yumiko was pulling out another arrow, ready to fire again.

A slow smile formed at Magna’s lips. She began to realize how important this sport was to Yumiko, content to watch her indulge for a while. Feeling humbled, she sat back and gripped the earth, grass itching at her palms and the backs of her legs. This glimpse into Yumiko’s childlike wonder was rare, and it only made her appreciate her company more. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back to feel the warmth of the sun on her face, comforted by the sound of Yumiko firing shot after shot, her quiet exclamations of success making her smile every time.

After a short while, Yumiko disappeared to collect her arrows and start up again. She fired a single shot, landing predictably in the center, and nodded to herself. “Ready to give it a go?” she offered playfully. “Left you a challenge.”

Coming out of her small, meditative state, Magna looked up to see her holding the bow out, baiting her with a mischievous smile. She brought her arms forward to draw in her knees, narrowing her eyes and smiling at this lighthearted provocation. After a brief moment of contemplation and a sharp sigh, she quickly got up and brushed herself off.

“Why not?” she said, shrugging a shoulder in nonchalance. She took the bow with this false confidence, not wanting to appear hesitant about accepting a challenge. Yumiko had made it look so easy, and after watching her for a while, Magna was truly eager to try, to feel that same empowerment. She hoped she could be somewhat good at this.

Yumiko pulled an arrow from the quiver and studied it, checking for safety. “Need some pointers?” she asked, handing Magna the arrow.

“I think I can handle it,” Magna dismissed, knowing Yumiko would find the humor in her arrogance.

“Atta girl!” Yumiko laughed proudly. “Confidence!”

Magna shook out her arms and tried her best to quickly recount and mimic what Yumiko had so masterfully demonstrated. The steps were blurred, but the energy was still palpable, adding to her false sense of expertise. Standing sideways, she nocked the arrow and drew it back, closing one eye and lifting her chin as she tried to focus on the target in the distance. The pull of the string was much more powerful than anticipated, and she concentrated hard trying to balance the bow with her extended arm. She could feel Yumiko’s eyes on her and silently prayed that she was getting at least half of this right. Taking a moment to convince herself that Yumiko wouldn’t let her shoot if she was doing it dangerously wrong, she lined up the shot as best she could. Finally, she slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding and released the shot.

The string whipped much sharper than expected, and Magna flinched as it came forward, pulling the bow back as her extended arm instinctively tried to withdraw into herself. She had briefly and involuntarily closed her eyes upon release, losing track of the arrow. She narrowed her eyes at the target, only to find Yumiko’s lone arrow in the center. As she took a moment to look around, wondering if she had simply shot over the target, she caught sight of a thin arrow sticking just barely out of the ground, not quite halfway between them and the target.

Arms slowly falling in defeat, she stared curiously at her sad attempt, not enough force to have pushed it very far into the dirt. Dumbfounded, she looked over to Yumiko, lost for an explanation. Yumiko pressed a knuckle to her lips, her other arm crossing her body as she worked to suppress a laugh. She looked pitifully over to the arrow and then back to Magna, who was now staring back at the arrow’s colorful fletching. They stood for another silent moment before Yumiko finally broke.

“Magna!” she howled, clutching at her belly with one hand.

“I thought I did what you did,” Magna laughed, still processing. She watched as Yumiko stumbled over, eyes screwed shut, her laughter uproarious. The more she went on, the more impossible it was not to laugh along with her. Though she felt embarrassed, Magna enjoyed seeing Yumiko this way, thoroughly brimming with joy. She paused for a moment, charmed by this scene, an odd sense of bliss setting in. Where normally she might have been more defensive -- even belligerent -- to this unhinged taunting at her failure, here she felt the contrary: a warm sense of acceptance.

“That, my dear, is what’s known as a ‘sin’ in archery,” Yumiko giggled. She looked back to Magna with fondness. “Big sin.”

Magna gestured to herself and shrugged, accepting the term wholeheartedly. Yumiko wiped a tear from her eye and put a hand on Magna’s shoulder as she pulled another arrow from the quiver.

“Let’s try that again.” She handed her the arrow, coming down from her laughter but still grinning hard in memory of Magna’s clumsy display.

Magna nocked the arrow as per Yumiko’s earlier instructions and looked back up to meet her deep brown eyes, still glistening. They chuckled briefly to each other before Yumiko gently took the bow from Magna’s hand. As she explained a more proper grip to her, Magna noted how near to each other they stood now, as if sharing in that brief moment of light euphoria had granted permission to be so daringly close. She nodded as she absorbed the instructions, taking the bow as Yumiko handed it back, her focus still drifting to the nearness between them.

Yumiko held her ground, unashamed and slightly amused as she noticed Magna trying to hold back a smile. She placed a hand on her outstretched arm as she tried to steady the bow, encouraging her to relax her grip. Immediately after, she brought her hands to Magna’s hips, adjusting them to be parallel to hers. Magna looked down to the narrowing space between them, surprised by this sudden contact.

“Don’t lean back,” Yumiko said firmly. She guided her forward gently, moving with her. As their faces drew nearer, Magna looked up at her then, an involuntary and nervous reaction. She was relieved to see Yumiko’s gaze had been fixated on her shoulders, checking for alignment. It seemed the professional archer had suddenly returned, determined to hone her novice skill. She startled slightly as she felt Yumiko pat the side of her thigh, her other hand a warm touch still resting at her hip.

“You’ll step this foot back to open up,” she instructed while watching their feet. “Your back foot should be aligned with the target.” Yumiko turned her head to take the target in view and made a straight line with her arm, demonstrating the trajectory of the arrow. Magna suddenly couldn’t bring herself to look at her, trying to focus on keeping her feet firmly planted on the ground but unable to ignore the firm hold on her hip. She cleared her throat and looked up to the target before Yumiko drew her attention back to the bow in her hands, tapping on a small, brass node attached to the string.

“This is the kisser button,” she explained. “You should feel it on your lips when you come to a full draw.” The heat rose in Magna’s chest at these words and she looked to see Yumiko pointing to the corner of her mouth, wondering for a moment if she was being serious or just trying to get this rise out of her. She looked quickly back down to the bow and drew in her bottom lip, self-conscious at the thought of Yumiko staring at her mouth. Doing as instructed, she pulled back the string, feeling for the contact of metal against soft flesh. The thought crossed her mind then that this piece had so frequently anchored against Yumiko’s own lips. 

“Your hand should come here, just behind your jaw…,” Yumiko trailed off. She took Magna’s hand and moved it to rest just against her cheek, ensuring that her arrow would follow her gaze. Even with one eye shut, attempting to get the target in focus, Magna could see her moving to get a good look at her face.

“Try with both eyes open, head steady,” Yumiko suggested, briefly bringing a hand forward to gently align Magna’s chin. Magna’s eyes fluttered open, complying. She hoped these amateur mistakes didn’t make her look too ridiculous. Yumiko finally pulled away to analyze her form and Magna felt a familiar yearning as her hold disappeared, that vague pulse of electricity that always made her stomach feel light. She tried to stay focused on the target ahead, feeling the string pressing into her fingers as she held her draw.

Still in coaching mode, Yumiko swiftly moved around to stand behind her. “Imagine you’re entering the target’s space even at this distance,” she illustrated, hoping it would help frame Magna’s focus. She brought a hand underneath Magna’s extended wrist, the other hand underneath her raised elbow, steadying her. “Resist the temptation to drop your arm once you’ve let go,” she concluded. Magna listened intently, feeling more focused with Yumiko’s insight, but unable to fight that electric feeling.

As Yumiko studied her from behind, she noticed Magna’s long, thick hair had come to lay in front of her shoulders. Instinctively, she gathered it in her hands to pull it out of her way, fingertips brushing softly against her neck as she combed through. She paused suddenly, dutiful pro-archer demeanor giving way to a tenderhearted warmth for this moment. Holding the soft curls in her hands, she made one final move to tuck a stray, golden-brown lock behind Magna’s ear, fully opening her view. She pulled away slowly, involuntarily letting out a soft chuckle.

Feeling Yumiko completely disengage from her space, Magna took a sharp breath in, hoping this next shot would honor her instruction. Suspended here, she grounded herself in this powerful stance, standing firm on the foundation laid out for her, feeling Yumiko’s guidance even at this distance. With the world blurred around the target, she narrowed in on Yumiko’s arrow, still set in the dense foam block and waiting patiently for company.

With a small grunt, she finally released the arrow, freezing when she heard Yumiko’s voice remind her not to drop her arm. She didn’t think about the arrow as it escaped her draw, focused only on following through and of Yumiko’s impression of her performance. It occurred to her in that moment -- more fully than ever -- that this was her narrow scope, constantly worried about what Yumiko might think of her instead of realizing all the ways she had always been there. Not yet turning to her diligent instructor for a reaction, she curiously took a step forward, suddenly needing to see the arrow for herself as proof that she could succeed.

Her heart raced as she took in her arrow’s position, pierced into the outermost blue ring, five paces from the center. She immediately turned around in search of Yumiko, fists clenched in excitement and mouth agape in disbelief.

“Look at that!” Yumiko exclaimed as she threw her arms in the air. Filled with excitement, they stepped toward each other in a big hug, squeezing tight, Yumiko nearly lifting Magna off her feet. Giggling and delighted, Magna pulled away first, a bit surprised with herself. Yumiko held Magna’s arms for another moment, smiling contentedly. They looked back over to the arrow as they pulled away, taking a step back to collect themselves.

After a moment, still proud of her single arrow, Magna reached a hand in the air and pulled it down into a fist, celebrating how she had managed to hit the target this time. “Too easy,” she boasted. “As long as we forget the other one.” Yumiko laughed at this honest display of pride and shoved her playfully before reaching down to collect her things.

“Let’s step it back then,” she challenged. Before Magna could protest, Yumiko hoisted up the spare arrows and started to leave. She looked back to see Magna’s arms raised in disbelief and stuck a tongue out at her through a smile. Gesturing vaguely to the arrows they had shot, she continued, “Grab those?” and flashed her a thumbs up before she could respond. Magna stood for a moment, amused with her audacity. She shook her head, dropping her arms in defeat and turning to collect the arrows.

She came up to the target, still beaming with pride as she saw her arrow again, remembering the electricity of having Yumiko’s guidance and the power she felt even as she finally pulled away. Taking in the sight one last time, she pulled out her arrow and ran a finger across the small dot it had pierced into the poly-spun fibers. Yumiko's arrow sat just outside the centermost dot, and Magna looked down in amazement as she remembered the way Yumiko shot with such grace.

Holding her arrow up, she examined its sharp point before placing it against the target again, idly dragging the tip to trace a line until she hit Yumiko’s arrow. Hovering over the surface, she felt the impulse to pierce her arrow back into the target and sit right next to Yumiko’s, envisioning where she would have liked her arrow to be. Her grin faded to become a soft smile as she admired the two arrows together.

“Maybe one day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been trying to push this one out for a while now because I just really wanted these two to go out on a date. I’ve only done archery a handful of times (and years ago…), so I got really lazy about doing the research. I liked the idea of Yumiko’s physical coaching creating a romantic tension between them, plus I really couldn’t pass up the implications with the kisser button. That’s seriously the term! Google it!
> 
> Before starting this, I (shamefully) combed through Eleanor Matsuura’s Instagram looking for any of the archery training she’s done for Yumiko. There’s one video where she’s very badass-archer-warrior and another where she has a giddy dancing celebration after hitting a bullseye. They were the perfect inspiration to illustrate Yumiko’s intense but also playful side. I like to think experiencing these sides of her would help a lost, angry, and largely distrusting Magna open up and become more comfortable with herself, so that’s the transformation I wanted to have here.
> 
> I wanted to keep alternating perspectives with each chapter, but ultimately I find it easier to write from Magna’s POV. I’m trying to give Yumiko more inner thought time in the rest, but we’ll see how it goes.
> 
> ***10x16 POTENTIAL SPOILER WARNING***
> 
> You’ve been warned! I was absolutely elated to see that promo photo of Magna holding a compound bow just as I was finishing up this chapter. It may have spoiled things to an extent, but I don’t care. Even broken up, I love that she’s still channeling that girlfriend energy. Not to mention, it looks like she still has the wine red bomber jacket, aaah… I’m hella heart eyes.


	5. Soft Silence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nerves and doubts build as Magna and Yumiko continue navigating their dynamic outside of their usual environment.

They arrived at Yumiko’s apartment in the early evening, just as the sun was beginning to set. Even as they approached the grand structure, Magna couldn’t help but wonder if they were in the right place; it seemed so foreign to her. Light as it was, she found it hard to focus on their conversation as they moved quickly through to the seventh floor. She had so often forgotten her surroundings while they were chatting, but it was hard not to be distracted in this world so new to her, a world in such stark contrast to where her day began.

“Bienvenue chez moi!”

Yumiko walked in first, setting aside her gear and hanging up her jacket, moving methodically. Magna followed in after her and took a curious look around, managing to hang up her own jacket despite feeling so distracted. Entirely absorbed by her surroundings, she barely noticed as Yumiko took the grocery bag from her hands. She noted at once how well the other woman lived, how it fit into place with everything they had seen just in coming through the building. Yumiko’s space was minimal, tasteful, well thought out. One side of the living area was completely exposed, offering a breath-taking, almost disorienting view of the city. Magna found herself walking toward the open view, hardly registering as Yumiko walked off to deliver the bags elsewhere.

She stood quietly and stared out toward the horizon, impressed. There was a sense of calm in looking out that she hadn’t yet felt since leaving the prison, accompanied by a vague sense of loneliness. She turned for a moment to look again at the interior of Yumiko’s living space. It was simple, yet luxurious; pragmatic, yet elegant; neat, yet dynamic. All of this was enlightening, but not at all surprising. Its charm was at once intimidating, and Magna felt a lightness in her chest at how this so precisely mirrored the woman she had come to respect and admire. She wondered again how she arrived here.

“Nice view?” chimed Yumiko’s voice at her opposite side. Slightly startled out of a daze, Magna turned to face her, embarrassed now for gawking at her surroundings. Yumiko looked as if she felt a bit awkward too, and Magna realized her almost alien-like observance of the apartment must have left her feeling exposed, perhaps even judged.

“Sorry,” Magna apologized, clearing her throat. “I’m staring.”

“No worries,” Yumiko shrugged off with a smile. “Hard not to.” She turned to look outside the glass and sighed contentedly, sliding her hands into her back pockets.

Magna watched her for a second longer before turning her gaze outward again, perceiving for a moment the way that Yumiko fit so perfectly into this space. They stood there together in soft silence, watching the bright pinks and purples of the sky slowly morph into a more homogenous deep blue above the city’s flickering light. Immersed in the view, Magna felt a swift weightlessness overcome her, anchored still by Yumiko’s presence at her side.

After a moment, Yumiko looked back to her and let out a soft laugh. She brushed a hand briefly up and down Magna’s arm as if to assure her, then turned to leave.

“Go on and make yourself comfortable,” she said as she took off again.

Magna turned toward her voice, but only caught sight of her disappearing down the hallway. She gave one last look outside before turning to pace thoughtfully around the living area. She wondered about the thought process that went into the art pieces, the accents, furniture that was more than just functional, books and magazines of all topics. As she processed the details around her, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being out of place. She continued her pacing, coming upon a few framed pictures on a shelf. An immediate sense of dread rushed in upon seeing them and she looked away before she could even work them out.

Ashamed, she knew she couldn’t bring herself to glimpse into the life that Yumiko was free to live, a life that didn’t involve her at all. She could have imagined this space just in the way she knew her so well, and how gratifying it was to be able to see her in every detail. Still, she couldn’t keep from feeling hurt as Yumiko’s life became more real to her. Being able to see the other people in her life and the moments she lived apart from her, moments powerful enough to be framed and put out on display, made her feel somehow smaller, like maybe she didn’t have as much presence in Yumiko’s life as she thought. Feeling suffocated, she looked back to the infinity view and finally sat down on the couch.

“Good spot for a nap, right?” she heard suddenly.

“What?” The word escaped her involuntarily, barey having time to catch a blanket thrown her way. She hoped Yumiko hadn’t noticed her in this insecure state. She knew she could read her so easily.

“Yeah, but I’ve got time to sleep later,” Magna said, surprised to be forming such an easygoing response. She quickly searched for words to dismiss her troubled thoughts. “Let me help you.”

“No no no, absolutely not!” Yumiko denied. “This day is for you.”

“Yumiko,” Magna replied plainly. She was all too familiar with Yumiko’s insistence on handling things on her own.

“Really! I’ve got this,” Yumiko maintained. She clicked on the television, set predictably to some national news channel. “I’ll call you over when I need you.”

Magna hesitated a moment before chuckling in defeat. “But isn’t that always?” she arrogantly let out. As soon as she said it, she mentally kicked herself for letting slip such a lame attempt at flirting. She was not particularly happy with how her guard had manifested.

“Of course, my darling!” Yumiko called back playfully as she disappeared.

A short-lived embarrassment. She looked around again and let out a deep sigh, trying to imagine Yumiko living here, moving through each space. She wondered how many times she must have plopped onto this couch after a long day, how many of those long days came from the stress of handling her case. She held out hope that she could cross her mind for more than just the business between them.

Trying not to get caught up in her overwhelm again, she finally stretched herself out long, feeling herself sink into the couch. She reached out for a cushion and pulled it in as if she were entitled to it, hugging it tightly and calling on a deep breath to massage the fatigue she suddenly felt all over. She immediately recognized Yumiko as she breathed in, the vague scent of her perfume compounded with something more, something she could only define as her person.

There was pleasure in how this elusive aroma filled her chest and became a part of her. She stubbornly convinced herself that no one else knew this scent, that no one else could feel the familiar and intense wave that washed over her every time she detected it. It always brought her back to that fateful day in the briefing room, the moment when she knew it was possible to feel safe again. She tightened her grip on the cushion, aching to pull Yumiko in close the same way.

As she began to drift away, she imagined Yumiko coming back, looking down at her with that welcoming smile. She would take her hand and gently pull her down to the couch and into her arms, finally. They would lay huddled together daringly close, feeling never quite close enough, the sound of the television in the background falling dull to the intensity of their hearts beating together in synchronous rhythm: warm, exciting, complete. She would comb her fingers lovingly through endless waves of soft, dark hair before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Shaking herself out of this intricate scenario, she suddenly realized that whether she imagined this during a few days of freedom or years from now, outside of the walls with a path to a new life open wide in front of her, this tender imagining would likely remain fantasy. This privilege is temporary: this is not where convicts and liars belong and it is certainly not where they end up. She finally fell asleep, pitying her longing.

***

Yumiko looked around to the spread in front of her, satisfied with her work. She had spent the last hour preparing a simple, yet purposeful meal made up of what she could remember were some of Magna’s favorite things. Somewhat drained, she absent-mindedly wiped at her cheek, feeling as she accidentally smudged her face. She turned to catch her reflection in a nearby pot, realizing that altogether she looked a bit of a mess. With a sigh, she turned back around to see her work, leaning her hands heavily on the countertop and tapping her fingers. She couldn’t quite pinpoint why she was starting to feel anxious. She had practiced this.

Over the years, she had made note of so many of the things that Magna liked. Each time, she knew she would be saving the information for later, not knowing exactly when or how it might be useful. Here now was an unprecedented, albeit unfortunate, opportunity for those observations to come in handy. She didn’t want to impress her; she only wanted to bring her comfort in this strange and difficult time of bereavement, to show Magna that people were still here for her, even in this time where it might seem she was losing everything. She wanted to get this right.

Although, if full truth be told, she couldn’t deny that she was nervous about the idea of getting to spend quality time together outside of the prison. She had longed to have her company like this, a daydream she could almost swear she’d had since they first met. In the weeks leading up to this, she had not stopped wondering, -- nearly dreading, but quietly hoping -- that they might share just one, small, tender moment together. Bolder still, she imagined that this opportunity could push them over the edge of whatever had manifested between them, a gap that she’d been dying to cross. She felt that maybe she could finally give in. It occurred to her that they might not get another chance at this.

She looked again at the mark on her face and began to search for the towel she had discarded somewhere. As she moved about the kitchen, lifted miscellaneous items, and opened various cupboard doors, she considered for a moment what giving in might do, reality now weighing heavier than ever before. It was an obviously scandalous act, falling for your client, and all the more so if she were to act on her feelings. The responsible part of her knew there was no sense in pursuing what would likely be an impossible relationship. A nevertheless bigger part of her dared to invite such scandal, believing wholeheartedly that it would be worth it.

She made a quiet exclamation to herself as she finally found the towel and quickly headed out to a mirror in the dining room. Just as she caught her reflection, she paused at a curious sound, distinct from the vague humming of the television. She turned to look over to the couch in the living area, just visible from where she had been working. As she took a step forward and listened closer, she smiled slowly to herself as she began to realize that she had been hearing the gentle sound of soft snoring.

Snoring was not something she had expected from Magna, and she laughed to herself at this amusing discovery. She continued her approach until she could only just perceive the smooth rise and fall of Magna breathing, a serene figure nestled warmly on her side under the blanket, the only noticeable tension in the way she hugged a cushion tightly to her chest. Yumiko had so often imagined her habitually grumpy Magna asleep on her couch, a world away from where she was condemned to be. A sense of relief came over her knowing she was safe here, honored to know that Magna felt free enough from harm in her home to be sleeping so soundly, so unguarded. It affirmed for Yumiko what she had declared countless times before, that she would stop at nothing to bring peace to this shattered, yet remarkably resilient, young woman.

***

“Hey.”

Magna woke to a gentle hand on her shoulder, stirring for a moment before blinking her eyes open and turning toward the soft call. Yumiko stood above her from behind the couch, smiling warmly.

“Hate to disturb you,” she said softly. She rounded the couch and sat down, nestling just inches away from the curve of Magna’s body.

“Sorry,” Magna murmured as she rubbed an eye. She slowly rose up, the blanket falling from her shoulder. “How long was I out?”

“Don’t be sorry,” Yumiko assured her. “A little more than an hour at best.” She gently tossed the edges of the blanket back over her lap as she sat up.

Magna drew in her knees to allow Yumiko a bit more room next to her, inviting her to sit comfortably close. The heaviness of sleep continued to subside as she took in the sight of her, stray hairs peeking out from a messy bun, an indiscernible smudge of some sort across her cheek.

“You’ve been busy,” Magna inferred.

“Ah,” Yumiko blurted as she looked down at herself. She smiled and fiddled with her apron. “Yeah, I have.”

She had that quiet look about her that said she was proud of having accomplished something, tired but nonetheless thrilled. Magna loved to see her this way, often following a productive day where she couldn’t help but admire her tenacity. Caught up in her reverence, she noticed Yumiko shake herself out of what had become a longer than anticipated, intimate silence, looking back up to her suddenly.

“Come on to the kitchen,” she said, gesturing with her head. “I think we’re just about ready!” She patted her leg and held her gaze for a second longer before getting up to lead the way. Magna smiled and rolled lazily off the couch, happy to follow after her.

As they entered the kitchen, Magna ran a tired hand through her wild curls and stretched out, unsure of what to anticipate. She stood near Yumiko at the counter, her eyes growing wide for a moment as she took in the display. As she mentally sorted things out, her stomach felt light, recognizing one dish after another. Yumiko dipped a spoon into a sauce of sorts and turned carefully, holding a hand under the spoon as she brought it near to Magna’s lips.

“Taste this,” she offered. Her excitement was palpable, hard as she tried to conceal it.

“Hm,” Magna happily obliged, musing approvingly at the taste. She gave it another second of thought. “Yeah, I like that.”

“But is it like before?” Yumiko asked.

“I guess so, yeah,” Magna let out, unaware that this casual reply had come across as indifference. She blinked absent-mindedly before turning to Yumiko, quickly cutting off a building yawn as the other woman stared back at her, unmoved by the response.

“It’s good!” she tried to clarify.

“I want it to be perfect,” Yumiko pouted slightly. Magna floundered, concerned now that she might have accidentally hurt her feelings, the last thing she wanted to do for such a thoughtful gesture. She watched as Yumiko looked down to the counter in front of them, her darting eyes indicating that she was already looking for ways to improve her work.

“Yumiko.” Magna caught her by the shoulders just before the unsettled woman turned to fetch something. She made a point of searching for her gaze, locking eyes and gripping her gently for emphasis once she had her attention. “It IS perfect; I swear.” She looked back to the counter at everything that Yumiko had prepared, slowly releasing her hold. “All of this is perfect.”

Yumiko slowed, watching proudly as Magna’s face lit up in quiet delight. Perhaps she had been worried over nothing after all. Noticeably softened by the thoughtful gesture, Magna turned back to her.

“Thanks.” They exchanged smiles, falling into another warm silence.

Magna promptly raised an eyebrow as she finally began to get a good look at Yumiko, chuckling at the sight. She certainly looked like she had put in a considerable amount of effort, a few stains on her apron and that stubborn smudge still brushed on one side of her face. By pure impulse, Magna lifted a hand as if to reach out to her and wipe it away. She paused a moment, thought again about doing it, and then sheepishly pointed to her own face as a signal.

“Oh!” Yumiko looked down at herself, suddenly remembering. She grabbed at the edges of her apron and gave a humbled laugh, not in the least bit embarrassed. She bent over to wipe at her cheek with a clean edge of the cloth and looked back up. “How’s that?”

Magna immediately snickered in response, unable to suppress her laughter. Yumiko nodded, understanding. “I’ve made it worse then.”

The two women giggled together at this futile attempt at getting rid of the silly little splotch, the air between them becoming increasingly light. Before Yumiko could try again, Magna put a hand on hers to get her to pause.

“Wait, wait, wait,” she urged. She looked back down to the counter, searching. Yumiko watched her curiously as the mischievous younger woman caught sight of a thin dusting of flour and ran her fingertips through it. She turned to Yumiko, grinning with anticipation.

“Magna, no.” Yumiko held up a finger as if to scold her, but she couldn’t keep from smiling. She should have predicted this might provoke her playful nature. She backed away, still fixated on that sly grin.

“Ah ah,” Magna urged again. She opened up her arms as if preparing some performance, squeezed her eyes shut dramatically, and then patted her fingertips against her own cheek, powdering the side of her face and scattering flour into the air. Yumiko brought her hands to her mouth with a delighted gasp.

Magna stood with her arms open wider, boasting of her appearance. “Well? How’s that?”

“Perfect,” Yumiko beamed, giggling. “We look great!”

Standing there in the kitchen, the two of them were a world away from the convention of client and lawyer, and what a pity that this expectation had existed as such a hard restraint. No case files or strategic arguments, not the slightest “what if” would tarnish this space now. They swayed together with laughter, lost in childlike amusement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like the others, I've been sitting on this forever and ended up dividing it into two chapters because 1) it got too long and 2) I just wanted to finally post again. Work overtime from home they said, it'll be fiiine they said, you'll definitely have free time to write fanfiction they said. i quit buh bye covid smdh fveaa;rkg ;
> 
> Some individual headspace here to illustrate the overthinking that comes when a date starts to find itself in increasingly intimate settings. I wanted the last part to show how these nerves and doubts naturally subside when they come together. As a user called idgiebee in a wlw space, I would also be remiss not to include the slightest nod to that classic food fight scene from Fried Green Tomatoes.
> 
> The next part is so close to done I swear ahhh. It's probably (?) the last chapter and it has a lot of dialogue I'm really excited about. Anyway, Ill definitely be tuning in to season 10C and nothing motivates me more than TWDU content.


	6. The Other Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things seem to finally be coming together between the two as the evening begins to wind down, but it's not without obstacle.

“Loosely, it’s ‘child of the bow and arrow’,” Yumiko explained, slightly tipsy. “So the archery is quite literally in my name. I really never told you that?”

Magna shook her head, smiling at her sweetly as she only half absorbed this lesson on the origin of Yumiko’s name. They had spent the last couple of hours enjoying a nice dinner together, time falling away. After three years, there was still so much more they could talk about for hours like this: Childhood memories, hobbies and habits both old and new, the most particular interests. They had even briefly discussed the strange cases of people falling terribly ill, joking that this might be the last time they see each other if it became a pandemic of apocalyptic proportions.

Feeling increasingly unguarded, Magna knew she had been looking at her differently tonight. She found herself quietly daring Yumiko to notice all the stolen glances, so much more frequent tonight than usual. There was a familiar type of tension between them, heightened now in this atmosphere. No matter the shift in conversation, it was as if they had both been dancing around the same idea, waiting for the other to cross over. 

Yumiko leaned her elbows onto the table, buzzing from their conversation. She stared intently at Magna, seemingly analyzing her, a sly smile on her face.

“ ‘Magna’,” Yumiko pondered, letting her name hang in the air.

Magna bravely held her gaze, waiting for her to continue. Though she normally felt uncomfortable when people stared at her, she felt a special sort of satisfaction to hear Yumiko speak her name, emboldened further by being looked at so closely with those sharp eyes, always analyzing.

“ ‘Great’, like… Magna Carta-- the Great Charter, a magnum opus-- a greatest work, magna cum laude-- with great praise,” Yumiko explained. Magna raised her eyebrows at the association and chuckled doubtfully as she went on.

“Well, I don’t know about that.” She looked down at the table, mentally shrinking away as she shifted the base of her wine glass back and forth to busy her hands.

“Come on,” Yumiko protested, playfully slapping her shoulder. “I think it’s fitting!” She stared at Magna a moment longer, as if by keeping her in her sights, she might will her to listen.

“It’s powerful, the way it stands on its own,” she continued, disappearing for a moment in her thoughts. “See, if you just take ‘Miko’ from mine, the meaning changes, closer to… ‘beautiful child’ or something like that.”

“Really?” Magna asked. She cocked her head, her interest piqued by this bit of trivia.

Yumiko gave a slow nod, as if sorting out her words. Magna was used to waiting on her profound musings, watching as she narrowed her focus to nothing in particular. A moment later, she saw her lips contort to stifle a laugh.

“I honestly have no idea!” Yumiko admitted. They burst into laughter, the lightness in their conversation returning.

“Someone told me that at a pub once…,” she remembered. She made a face at the memory and shook her head before taking another sip of wine. “It didn’t work.”

Magna maintained a smile, sensing an opportunity but hesitating before her next words. She swallowed as the butterflies quickly rose in her chest.

“Well, ‘I think it’s fitting’,” she teased, mimicking Yumiko’s accent. The sarcasm in her tone attempted to dismiss the feeling of her heart racing underneath.

“Oh, so I’m a child then? Is that it?” Yumiko challenged. She was so used to Magna’s playful mocking that she hadn’t heard the nerves in her voice.

The air seemed to still as they locked eyes, and Magna wondered if she even had the courage to clarify what she meant. A beat passed, and then another, until it became too unnatural not to say anything else.

“Yeah, that’s it,” she said, half-committing to the words. She laughed softly to herself and looked down to her lap, hair falling to conceal her face and return her to a place of comfort.

Yumiko paused, this slight mental withdrawal a cue that she had missed something. She felt the familiar pull that told her to lift a hand, tuck the hair away from Magna’s face, invite her back in again. Instead, she found herself at the same, agonizingly small distance as always, Magna beating her to push back those heavily cascading locks before she could close the gap.

The younger woman brushed her hands through her hair, revealing a pensive smile underneath, eyes still trained down. Yumiko observed as her hand came down to rest at her mouth, fingers idly passing against her lips as they stayed curled into a smile, antagonising. Incredulous, she forced herself to turn away, unable to suppress a small laugh as she mentally kicked herself for wanting. Unable to bear it any longer, she broke the silence.

“God, this has been really nice,” she sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I can’t wait until the day we can do this more regularly.” She looked down at the table now, fiddling with the placemat in front of her, unaware that she was putting words to her daydreams.

Still caught up in weighing her missed opportunity, Magna picked up on this last statement. “You really see us doing this regularly?”

Yumiko paused and stared back at her blankly. She opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated, making a concerted effort to choose her words carefully. Magna stared innocently back at her, hoping she didn’t appear too impatient for a response. Yumiko bit down on her bottom lip, an uncontrollable smile spreading across her face to see Magna like this.

“Yeah…,” she began, trailing off in thought. She looked down to the base of her wine glass and came to sit straight up. After another moment of consideration, she looked back up to Magna, bravely meeting her eyes. They held each other's gaze, a tension building.

“Yeah, I do,” she affirmed, knowing there was no longer any point in denying it. “I mean, if you want to.” she said, cocking her head. It had almost sounded like a question, vulnerable and hoping.

It was in these small moments, observing those sweet expressions in tandem with such assuredness, that Magna could feel the weight of falling in love with her again. Neither could keep from smiling as they silently acknowledged this momentous change between them, the disguise that they had built for so long seeming to finally come down.

Magna laughed out a breath she had been holding and bashfully looked down to the table, then out to the living area. She opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly paused before turning back.

“What in the world…?” Her eyes transfixed to the television, having caught something strange. Her brow furrowed as she tried to process what she was seeing.

Yumiko blinked, taken aback and a bit worried at this sudden shift in expression. She followed Magna’s gaze to the living area, unsure of what to expect.

There on the television was looping CCTV footage of a fatal highway crash. Two paramedics were tending to some of the injured when one of the presumably dead victims reached out and grabbed the man standing over him, biting at his neck.

“Oh god…,” Yumiko let out. They rose from the table and headed out to the living area. Yumiko grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. They watched as officers began to arrive, the victim wobbling erratically on his feet. He moved from officer to officer in blind pursuit, undaunted even as they beat him relentlessly with their batons.

“He’s going after anyone near him,” Magna observed. She winced to see the man shot full of bullets, falling to his knees. The footage was graphic and disturbing, and for a moment, she was relieved to see that it was over. Her discomfort quickly returned with a force as she watched him clumsily stand himself back up and continue his advance toward the officers.

“There’s no way that’s real, right?” Magna asked. She looked over to Yumiko, whose somber expression told her to keep listening before weighing any denial.

The broadcast announced that the military had been brought into Los Angeles following similar incidents, and that soon they could be brought into every other major city throughout the country. They advised citizens to remain indoors and immediately distance themselves from anyone with the slightest flu-like symptoms.

At this, Yumiko switched the channel to their local news station, wondering if it was happening near them too, and what she might need to do in response. As soon as the channel changed, it appeared that among other locations throughout their city, their local news was heavily focused on the very prison they had come from much earlier that day. One side had been overrun with chaos, a mass of officers scrambling through crowds, prisoners seeking shelter or otherwise fleeing the grounds, and the sick, wandering around with the same erratic behavior.

“That is just mad,” Yumiko breathed out, struggling to believe what she was seeing. “Is that your block?”

Magna narrowed her eyes at the images. “No, that looks like B-block,” she explained, trying to piece things together. “Mostly made up of old people. The only thing that separates that block and mine is medical.”

“Where all the sick would be,” Yumiko stated.

“Right,” Magna replied, dumbfounded. In the time she had spent in the prison, she had come to know that most inmates were just trying to get through their sentence with their heads down. They were not this violent, riotous, and ravenous mob they were seeing on TV. The two stared in silent horror at the screen, the reality sinking in that they had only narrowly missed getting caught up in the pandemonium. Yumiko shook her head in disbelief, eyes still fixed on the screen.

“I’m not taking you back there,” she declared suddenly. Magna looked over to her, surprised at her reaction.

“I still have a week on the outside,” she began. “You think this shit will last ‘til then?”

“There’s no way they’ll have it contained,” Yumiko argued. Magna could sense a slight panic in her voice. “Anyway, even if they did, you’d be right in the middle of the damage. It’s not safe.”

Magna paused, still unsure. “Is my lawyer breaking me out?” she asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood. Yumiko rolled her eyes to meet Magna’s, the charming smirk on her face a welcome sight if only for a brief moment. She turned back to the screen, all the more convinced.

“This is all madness… No, absolutely not. I won’t.” Yumiko spoke aloud to herself, as if needing to be convinced of what they might have to do. Her incoherence made Magna look seriously at her now and she began to realize how big of a risk Yumiko was willing to take here.

“They’ll just come looking for me,” Magna tried to remind her. “And when they do, they’ll be looking for you too. I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You don’t have to ask me,” Yumiko fired back, seeming almost annoyed at Magna’s resistance. “They’re ordering people in major cities to stay at home, so that’s what we’ll do.”

“As if they won’t come knocking at your door?” Magna continued, still trying to remind her that this could have irreversible consequences. “You’ll be stuck with me.”

“I’ll be with you,” Yumiko replied without hesitation. “I am with you. Rather than-- I don’t know, stuck here by myself, wondering-- worrying if you’re okay.” Visibly flustered now, she immediately brought her hands to cover her face.

“Yumiko, hey--” Magna put a hand to her back, struggling to keep up with the sudden intensity of the evening. At her touch, Yumiko turned and moved into her, hugging her arms into herself and burying her face into Magna’s shoulder.

Magna brought her arms hesitatingly around Yumiko’s shoulders, not exactly sure what was going on in her head. She seemed to be struggling with the news the most, as if she could foresee the situation getting worse. It was true that in recent months, Yumiko seemed to be paying closer and closer attention to the news of the widespread sickness as it continued to develop.

“Please stay,” Yumiko said weakly. “Don’t make me take you back there. Please.”

Magna’s heart broke at the sound of her uncharacteristic pleading. She rested her chin on Yumiko’s shoulder and nodded against her, holding her tighter. Even as she began to rub a hand across her back to try to soothe her, she could still feel her body tensing, notably unsatisfied.

“I’ll stay,” she said calmly. “If it’s one less thing to worry about, I’ll stay.”

As if stubbornly unconvinced, Yumiko wrapped her arms tightly around Magna’s waist to hold her there. Magna smiled sadly at her desperation, adjusting to pull her in closer and reassure her that she wasn’t going to leave. They stood there, ignoring the steady stream of bad news in the background.

As soon as she felt Yumiko start to relax, Magna pulled away gently and searched her face. She still seemed distant, ungrounded.

“Hey,” she smiled. “Ride or die, remember?”

Yumiko laughed at her motivational shift and nodded, realizing they had reversed roles here. After wiping at her eyes, she steadied herself by gripping Magna’s arms, grateful for their hold. She inhaled a sharp breath, coming back to her senses.

“I’ll have to come up with a strategy for when they call,” she stated, back to business. “I sure as hell won’t be calling first.”

Magna chuckled at the acerbity in her tone and nodded. She watched as Yumiko stepped away from her, pulling slightly on her hands as if torn between leaving or hanging on. Their arms extended fully out to one another as far as they could reach until they finally separated at the fingertips. Yumiko flashed a small smile before turning away completely and heading down the hall toward her office.

In the few years she had spent wondering when she would be able to come out on the other side, Magna had not once imagined it would be like this. She folded her arms against her chest, feeling emptier at her own warmth. From where she stood, she could see Yumiko pulling out binders, beginning the search for any details that could help her argue for extended time on the outside given the current circumstances. This was just one side of the woman she knew, a constant planner who was willing to weigh all possibilities and take immediate action for what she believed was right.

She thought back to their dinner conversation, remembering how Yumiko had used some part of that beautiful, hyper analytical brain of hers to imagine a future that included her, a future that saw them together. She realized then that if she were to be truly honest and look past her often unwavering pessimism, she had pictured the very same for so long, unable to remember a time when she had ever imagined differently. She smiled at the thought, the butterflies from earlier suddenly returning as she turned back to the television to watch the footage play out again. Whatever it took, they would do this together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And fin~.
> 
> The CCTV footage is from the first ep of Fear, so that's how I imagine the timeline lining up. Also, bonus OITNB reference just because.   
>  (Florida..!)
> 
> Finishing this chapter with the beginning of the apocalypse while living through a pandemic is probably some type of coping mechanism. I am happy with how it turned out overall and hope whoever is reading this enjoyed it too. Hopefully I can revisit this space soon because there's still some stuff I'd like to get out there and dammit, I just love these two. Meanwhile, I'll be watching 10C and everything else.


End file.
